Reflections in Hearth and Home

Family.

Family is the home of the soul; and to lose it is a forever wandering, a forever search for old bonds and new - the kind that can repair and mend. Family are those we choose to love and hold dear. They are those who will always be there for us, no matter what. They are our home, our safe haven from the world outside. They are the ones we can always count on, no matter what happens. And they are the ones we will always love, no matter how far away or close by they are.

Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten. Family means love, support, and encouragement. It means caring about each other, respecting each other's differences, and celebrating our individuality as well as our commonalities. Family is a circle of love that knows no boundaries or limits. It is a place where all members feel safe to be themselves and express their true feelings without fear of judgment or rejection.

It's mid-evening and Himari's gardening with her mother in the backyard garden of their home on the outskirts. She's been helping Nozomi with her gardening for over a few months, and she enjoys spending time with her mother like this. The two of them have always been very close, and they share a special bond that can't be broken by anything else in the world. Himari looks up to her mother, who is always there for her no matter what happens and will do anything to make sure she's happy and safe.

Lately, however, she's noticing more and more the smallest hints of her mother's crestfallen countenance as the surmounting number of missions demand more time away from her home and the possibility of her responsibilities increasing come the beginning of the Chūnin Exams, or the "Culling Games" as her superiors ominously dubbed it. Nozomi's always been shrewd with how she expresses her emotions in the company of her daughter, she's always stringent and nonchalant during training sessions but relaxed and contemplative during periods of downtime. Things have always been this way between the two for as far back as Himari could remember. She recalls one of her mother's many stories of how, during her infancy, she was a full-time mother who managed to balance her work and home life together. She was there whenever Himari needed her most and never once left her side when things got tough. On the flip side, Himari's father—a member of another clan, ambiguous in nature, that's now scattered to the winds—was a shinobi of Konohagakure who was often away on missions that would take him far from their village and family.

Ergo, Himari would spend most of her time either alone at home, sometimes in the company of friends at the Academy, or with her mother while her father was away on duty. Nevertheless, she didn't feel lonely because she knew that her father loved her very much and would always come back to them no matter what happened. Himari's earliest memories of her father were when she was just a toddler who loved playing with her toys and watching cartoons on TV while her parents cooked dinner together in the kitchen. She would often sit on the floor next to the table where they worked and listen as they talked about their day at work or school. Sometimes, they would even let her help out by stirring the pot or chopping up vegetables! It was always so much fun being around them because they always made sure that she felt included and loved. They never treated her like a burden or inconvenience; instead, they made her feel special and important. She remembers how happy she was whenever she got to spend time with them because it meant that they were happy too!

But then one day, he didn't return like he always did. Nozomi explained it as him being away on extended leave and needing to be patient until his return, but Himari didn't understand why he'd never sent any letters or postcards home since then. The only thing that kept her going was believing that he would come back soon so that everything could go back to normal. The months dragged by into years, and Himari grew older and more mature as time passed without any sign of her father's return. All these years, Himari has been wondering if she did something to make her father leave them. She's tried asking Nozomi about this out of innocent curiosity once, yet the latter deflected and only gave a vague answer. Even then, she could tell it was a sensitive topic and decided against broaching it any further.

Instead, she would approach the topic from a different angle.

"Mom?" Himari asks as she helps her mother water the plants in their backyard garden. "What do you think our life would be like if I had a sibling?"

Nozomi pauses for a moment before answering, "Well, I suppose it'd be much different than how things are now. You'd have someone to play with all the time, and you'd never feel lonely when I'm away on missions," She chuckles softly as she continues tending to her flowers. "But at the same time, you'd also have someone who could help take care of you when I'm not around. You'd have a sibling who would always be there for you no matter what happens. Someone who will love and protect you unconditionally. And most importantly, they'd be someone who understands you better than anyone else in the world."

Himari nods thoughtfully, taking note of her mother's answer and filing it away for future reference. "Did you have any siblings growing up? What were they like?"

Nozomi pauses before answering again, "Well, yes. I have an older brother, Hyūga Arinori and a younger sister, Hyūga Hiwa. My older brother was always so protective of me and my younger sister, even when we were just kids. He'd always make sure that we were safe and taken care of. And my younger sister was such a sweetheart; she always looked up to me and followed me around wherever I went." She chuckles softly at the memories of her childhood days with her siblings. "We were very close, but then one day my older brother decided to become a shinobi to join Konoha's forces. After that, my younger sister grew up without him and eventually became a shinobi as well. Nowadays, I don't see them much because they're always away on missions or busy with other things."

Himari listens intently, taking in every word her mother says as she continues watering the plants around them. "What about grandma and grandpa?" She asks curiously, wondering what kind of people they were like.

Nozomi pauses for another brief moment before answering once more, "Your grandfather, Isshin, was a strict man who always expected perfection from everyone around him. He never showed much emotion towards me or my siblings, but he did love us in his own way. He taught us how to be strong and how to survive in this world, and he made sure that we were well-educated so that we could succeed in life. But he also taught us how to be compassionate and kind towards others. Part of why I wanted to become kunoichi is because he always espoused the importance of family and the traditions and values that keep us together. He'd always say something along the lines of, 'Family is the home of the soul; and to lose it is a forever wandering, a forever search for old bonds and new - the kind that can repair and mend.'"

"And what about grandma? What was she like?" Himari asks again after taking another moment to process everything her mother just said.

Nozomi smiles softly as she remembers her mother fondly, "Your grandmother, Sakiko, was a gentle soul who loved us very much. She always made sure that we had everything we needed and that we were happy. She never raised her voice at us or scolded us for doing something wrong. She always treated us with kindness and respect, even when we didn't deserve it. She taught us how to be compassionate and caring towards others, and she always encouraged us to follow our dreams no matter what they may be. She was the best role model I could ever ask for."

Himari listens intently as Nozomi continues speaking, taking in every word her mother says about her family. It's interesting to learn more about them because she never really had a chance to meet any of them before. But now that she does, it makes her realize just how important family is and how much she loves her mother and father. She wants to make them proud by becoming a strong kunoichi like Nozomi and her older brother, and she hopes that one day she can make her proud, too.

Nozomi finishes watering the plants around them before turning to face Himari once more, "I'm glad you asked me all these questions, Himari. It helps me remember my family and the good times we spent together. I hope that one day you'll be able to experience the same things with your own family."

Himari smiles warmly at her mother's words, feeling a sense of pride swell within her chest at knowing that she made her mother happy by asking such an important question. She nods eagerly in response before replying, "I will! And thank you for telling me about your family, Mom. I'm glad I got to learn more about them and what they were like."

Nozomi gives her daughter a gentle hug before pulling away and standing up from where she was kneeling beside the plants. "Alright then, let's finish watering these flowers so that we can head inside and get dinner ready."

"Okay!" Himari replies excitedly as she follows her mother towards the house. Upon entry, Nozomi stops at their kitchen sink to wash her hands thoroughly before turning towards the stovetop to prepare dinner for the two of them. Meanwhile, Himari heads over to the refrigerator to retrieve some vegetables for their meal tonight. She sets them down on the countertop next to the sink and begins washing them off under running water. Afterward, she places them in a large bowl and brings it over to her mother who's already busy chopping up some onions and garlic cloves on a cutting board next to the stovetop.

Himari watches as her mother expertly chops away at the ingredients, making sure that each piece is perfectly sliced before adding them into a pot filled with boiling water on top of the stove. It reminds Himari of how skilled her mother is at everything she does; whether it be cooking, gardening or even just cleaning up around the house. She admires how hard-working and dedicated Nozomi is to everything she does and hopes that one day, she'll be able to emulate those traits herself. Once everything's ready, Nozomi adds in some seasoning and stirs it all together until everything is mixed well enough for cooking. She then turns off the heat and covers the pot with its lid before stepping aside to let the contents simmer for a while. Himari also notices that there are still plenty of dishes left in the sink from earlier this morning when they were both busy getting ready for work today. Himari decides that she should help out by doing the dishes so that her mother doesn't have to do them later after they finish eating their meal tonight.




The evening goes by without incident as they continue to commune at the dining table, but Himari can't help but feel like something is off about how quiet things seem tonight compared to other nights. Her mother oftentimes talks about her day at work or tells stories from when she was younger, but tonight she's been unusually quiet since returning home from the Academy. Himari wonders if maybe she's tired after teaching all day long, or maybe she's just feeling sad because it's getting close to—

"Mom?"

"Mhm?"

Himari hesitates, mustering the little courage that dwells. "The day after tomorrow will be... you and Dad's anniversary, isn't it?"

Nozomi pauses mid-chew before swallowing hard, drinking down her glass of water to wash down the lump in her throat. "Yes."

Himari nods, staring at the empty plate in front of her. "... I'm sorry."

Nozomi smiles softly at her daughter before standing up from the table and walking over to where Himari sits across from her. She kneels beside her and wraps an arm around her shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze as she speaks quietly into her ear. "Don't be sorry, Himari. You have nothing to apologize for."

Himari shakes her head, refusing to meet her mother's gaze even though she knows that it's impossible to avoid it forever. "I know, but still... I can't help but think that if maybe I did something that could've—"

Nozomi sighs deeply before she reaches out and takes hold of Himari's hands, squeezing them tightly within hers as she speaks once more.

"Himari. Look at me."

Himari reluctantly lifts her head up from where it rests against her knees, finally allowing herself to meet Nozomi's gaze directly. Her eyes are filled with tears that threaten to spill over onto her cheeks at any moment.

"I know how much you miss your father and I'm sure that he misses us too, wherever he is. I know that it hurts when someone you love doesn't come back home like they promised they would. And even though it hurts to admit it, we have to accept that there are some things in life that we can't control no matter how hard we try."

Himari nods silently as she listens to her mother speak, feeling tears well up in her eyes as she struggles to hold them back. Nozomi notices this and reaches up to wipe away the tears from Himari's cheek with her thumb before pulling back slightly so that she can see her face clearly. "You're growing up so fast, Himari. It feels like only yesterday you were a little girl running around playing games with your friends while your father and I watched over you from the sidelines. And now here you are sitting here talking about how much you miss him... It makes me realize just how much time has passed since then."

Himari nods again before leaning forward and wrapping her arms around Nozomi's neck, burying her face into the crook of her shoulder as she begins crying. Nozomi hugs her daughter back tightly and holds onto her for several minutes until Himari's sobbing finally subsides enough for her to speak once more.

"I miss him too, Himari. But we still have each other and we always will no matter what happens from now on. We'll always be here for each other because that's what families do. They support one another when times are tough and comfort each other when things seem hopeless. So please don't ever forget that."

Himari nods again as she pulls away from Nozomi's embrace, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes before looking up at her mother with a small smile on her face. "Thanks..."

Nozomi smiles warmly at her daughter before reaching over and ruffling Himari's hair affectionately, causing Himari to giggle slightly despite herself before she stands up and helps Himari up as well. They both walk over to the sink where Himari begins washing their dishes while Nozomi dries them off with a towel afterwards. Once everything's cleaned up, Himari heads towards her bedroom upstairs while Nozomi stays behind in the kitchen to finish cleaning up after dinner tonight.

"Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight, Himari."

Himari enters her room and closes the door behind her before flopping down onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling above her head as she thinks about what happened earlier today. After some time passes and before her world slowly succumbs to the evening's embrace, she hears faint... sobbing. It sounds like it's coming from outside her room. She gets up from the comfort of her bed and walks over to the source of the crying. She opens the door to find the source of the noise coming from past her mother's bedroom door, she stops and listens carefully as she hears it coming from inside her mother's bedroom. Himari hesitates for a moment before knocking gently on one of the shoji screen's wooden frames and calling out to her mother quietly, "Mom? Are you alright?"

There's no answer at first but then eventually, she hears her mother respond in a shaky voice, "Y-yes… I'm fine, Himari. Please go to bed now."

Himari frowns worriedly as she continues standing outside the door, unsure of what else to do or say at this point. She knows that her mother is upset about something, probably from the conversation they had at the dining table, yet the guilt weighs on her conscience when she doesn't know how to help her feel better. For as much as she would like to be her mother's bedrock the same way she's been for her, it's hard when she's not even sure what exactly it is that Nozomi needs right now and it frustrates her that she can't help her when she needs it most. But, even she must acknowledge that some things are beyond her capacity that she cannot fix.

After several minutes and there's still no response from inside the room, Himari decides to leave her mother alone for now and heads back towards her own bedroom instead. "Okay… Goodnight, then." Himari says softly as she turns away from the door and walks back into her bedroom where she lies down on top of her futon and stares up at the ceiling again. She lies down on top of her futon, staring up at the ceiling above her head once more. "There has to be something I can do," Himari wonders aloud quietly as she lies in bed staring up at the ceiling. "But how would I go about doing that? Where do I even start? What if I make things worse instead? Hmmm."

Himari thinks long and hard about this problem for several minutes until finally comes to a solution that makes sense to her. She decides that tomorrow evening after dinner, she'll surprise her mother tomorrow with a gift. A rather large one, at that, but it'll be a gamble whether Nozomi accepts it or not. It's worth a shot though because anything is better than sitting around feeling helpless all night long. She'd need a few things from around the house to make this work but hey, what could possibly go wrong?

'But at the same time, you'd also have someone who could help take care of you when I'm not around. You'd have a sibling who would always be there for you no matter what happens. Someone who will love and protect you unconditionally. And most importantly, they'd be someone who understands you better than anyone else in the world.'

"Maybe, that's what she needs right now. It's worth a shot to try, at least, if it means it can help her feel better. That's what families do... right?" Thereupon, she performs the following hand seals: Ram → Ox → Boar → Snake → Rat → Tiger → Bird → Rat. "Here goes nothing!" Thus, her body undergoes a physical phenomenon that defies all laws of logic and science as a separate mass of organic matter slowly emerges from her body, like a butterfly wresting itself from its cacoon.


Come the following evening the next day...


Himari knocks gently on one of the shoji screen doors that separate her room from Nozomi's before calling out to her mother quietly, "Mom? Can I come in?"

There's no response for several seconds before finally, she hears Nozomi respond back languidly, "Yes... Come in."

Himari opens the door slowly and steps inside, closing it behind her before turning around towards where Nozomi who sits on her legs up on her futon. She looks up at Himari with tired eyes as she asks curiously, "What is it?"

Himari walks over and kneels in front of her mother's futon in the same fashion with her hands folded neatly on top of each other resting atop her lap. She smiles nervously as she speaks quietly, "I wanted to give you something."

Nozomi tilts her head slightly to the side as she replies softly, "Oh? What is it?"

"A gift."

"A gift? For me?"

"Yeah!"

"What kind of gift?"

"Well... It's kind of hard to explain. It's a surprise and I think it's best if you see for yourself, but, promise you won't freak out, okay? I really did my bestest best to make this work and I thought it'd make you happy, too, and I thought it'd be a good idea for—"

Nozomi holds up a hand to stop Himari from continuing rambling on any further as she smiles gently at her daughter before replying kindly, "Okay, okay. I understand. Just show me already."

Himari nods quickly as she stands up from where she kneels in front of Nozomi's futon before turning around and walking towards the shoji that leads out into the hallway, peaking her head around proceeded by echoings of faint whispers. After several seconds, Himari looks back at her mother, doing her best to hide the giddiness in her bones. "Okay, you promise you won't freak out, right? Right?"

Nozomi nods again as she replies softly, "Yes, Himari. I promise."

Himari nods once more before stepping aside and opening the shoji screen door fully revealing a strange sight. A woman who looks identical in appearance to Himari except for the fact that she's much taller—at least a whole foot and some change—has longer hair in a dark shade of brown, possesses a more defined profile, and wears a simple white kimono with a black obi sash tied around her waist that complements her mesomorphic frame as she stands in the doorway with both hands clasped together in front of her chest nervously before they slowly rest at her hips. She looks up at Nozomi timidly before speaking quietly in a voice that sounds exactly like Himari's, if only more resonant and rich... mature, even.

"Hello, Mother."

Himari gestures toward the clone excitedly, striking a pose as if to unveil the next best thing after sliced bread while Nozomi stares blankly at the Himari look-a-like as she slowly rises to her feet and steps forward until she's standing directly in front of it. She reaches out and gently places a hand on its cheek, feeling how warm and soft it feels beneath her fingertips while also noticing how similar its facial structure is compared to her own. The clone closes its eyes briefly before opening them again and looking up at Nozomi with an expression that resembles Himari's perfectly.

"Himari... What is this?" Nozomi asks softly as she continues staring intently at the strange woman.

"It's a gift! I made it for you!" Himari replies cheerfully as she bounces up and down excitedly beside her mother. "I know how lonely you've been lately since usually one of us is at home for most of the week, so I thought that maybe if I cloned myself an older sibling, she could help keep you company whenever I'm not around then maybe it'd make things better for both of us. It's a win-win if you ask me!"

Nozomi turns towards Himari, giving her daughter a disapproving frown as she replies sternly, "Himari..."

"What? It's true! You always look so sad whenever you're alone and when I'm gone on missions or whatever else that requires me to leave home for extended periods of time. And besides, don't you think it'd be nice to have someone who understands you better than anyone else? Someone who can help take care of you or me whenever either of us isn't around? Someone who loves and protects us unconditionally? Someone who'll always be there for us no matter what happens? That's what families do, right?"

Nozomi stares at the clone silently for several seconds before turning back towards Himari with a deep sigh before replying quietly, "You're right... But," She shakes her head slowly from side to side. "Himari... This isn't right. It's not natural."

"But why not?" Himari asks curiously as she tilts her head slightly to the side while staring intently at Nozomi.

Nozomi turns towards her daughter once more, giving her another disapproving frown before replying softly, "You shouldn't be creating clones of yourself just so that you can have someone else around to keep me company. What if something happens and it goes berserk? What if someone finds out about what you've done? What then? What if word were to get out about this then people might start asking questions about where this clone came from or worse, try to use it against us? We'll be an embarrassment to our clan! Do you want people to start calling us freaks? Because that's exactly how they'll see us if they find out! And besides, even if everything does turn out okay, what makes you think she'd even be able to act like an actual person anyway? She's not real, Himari! She's a clone! A fake! An imitation! She's not real!"

Himari puffs out her cheeks angrily as she crosses both arms across her chest before replying, "I don't care, it's plenty smarter than that, anyway! If anyone has a problem with me making a clone of myself, for my family, then they can just stuff it!"

"Himari!" Nozomi exclaims loudly as she turns towards her daughter once more, giving the young girl a stern glare while pointing an accusatory finger directly at her face. "Don't you dare talk like that! You know better than to use language like that in front of me! Now apologize, this instant!"

"No!" Himari shouts back angrily as she glares up at Nozomi.

"Hyūga Himari... I swear to gods if you don't apologize right now then so help me I will—"

"You'll what? Ground me? Send me away? Make me do extra chores around the house? Well, too bad! Because I'm not going to apologize for something that I don't regret doing! I did all of this for you, Mom! For you! Do you realize how much it hurts me to see you so sad and lonely all the time? Do you know what it feels like knowing that there's nothing I can do to make things better for you? Do you know how much pain it causes me whenever I have to leave home for missions or training exercises because it means leaving you alone for what feels like forever? It kills me inside, Mom! It kills me! All I ever wanted to do was make you happy so you wouldn't have to feel so miserable all the time at home and you won't even let me fucking do that, what the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Language, Hyūga Himari!" Nozomi snaps angrily as she glares down at her daughter. "I don't care how upset or angry you are right now, but if you don't—"

"No!" Himari interrupts loudly, balling up her hands, as she continues glaring up at Nozomi. "You're a hypocrite! You always say that family comes first and now here you are telling me off for trying to do what grandpa always told you about family being the most important thing in the world by doing whatever I can to make sure that we take care of each other no matter what happens! Well, guess what? Fuck you! Fuck you, Mom! I hate you!"

Before Nozomi can reproach with a rebuttal, Himari spins around on her heels, bolts off down the hallway, and slams the front door shut behind her, into the night's sobering moonlight, with enough force to rattle several picture frames hanging on the walls nearby causing them to fall onto their sides and shatter upon impact with the hardwood floor below leaving broken glass strewn about everywhere.

Nozomi stares silently at the spot where her daughter once stood before sighing deeply as she shakes her head slowly while mumbling quietly under her breath, "What am I going to do with that girl?"

"... You should give her a chance."

Nozomi turns towards the clone with an incredulous look on her face. "Excuse me?"

"You should at least give her a chance," The clone repeats quietly as it looks down at its feet while fidgeting nervously. "Himari may not show it very well when she's around you, but—'language' aside—she really does care deeply about you more than anything else in this world. She loves you very much, Mother... And I know how much it hurts her whenever she has to leave home for assignments because it means leaving you alone for gods knows how long. It hurts her so badly that sometimes she cries herself to sleep. She hates being away from you, Mother... Because she knows how lonesome you get whenever she's gone. And that's why she created me... Not as a replacement for anyone, but to keep you company whenever Himari isn't around. To keep her company when you aren't around for her.

"A hearth that she can call home to when things become too much for her outside these walls. A family that she can depend on no matter what happens. A sister who will always be there for her no matter what happens..." The clone looks up at Nozomi once more with an apologetic look in its eyes before continuing softly, "I know it may seem strange or unnatural to you right now, but please understand that I only exist because of Himari's love for you and her desire for a happier family. A true family that she can rely on no matter what happens. She wants nothing more than to have a sister who loves her and her mother unconditionally and who will always protect and support them no matter what happens... That's all she ever wanted, Mother."

Nozomi stares silently at the clone before asking softly, "Then what about you? What do you think about all of this?"

"What do I think about all of this?" The clone looks up at Nozomi with an expressionless look on its face before curling her lips and replying quietly, "I think it's beautiful."

"Beautiful?" Nozomi asks curiously as she raises an eyebrow slightly.

"Yes," The clone replies softly while nodding as it stares intently at Nozomi. "I think Himari's love for you is beautiful. Pure... And if you can't see that then maybe you should take some time to reflect on what it means to be a family before judging others based on their actions alone."

Nozomi stares at the clone silently before sighing deeply as she shakes her head. She looks up towards the ceiling, closes her eyes tightly shut, takes a deep breath through her nostrils, holds it in for several seconds, and exhales loudly through her mouth before opening her eyes once more and turning towards the clone with an apologetic look on her face as she replies softly, "You're right. I'm sorry for judging you based solely on what I thought you were to be. It was wrong of me to do so... And I'm sorry."

The clone smiles warmly up at Nozomi before shaking its head, "Don't apologize to me, Mother. You should be telling that to Himari."

Nozomi sighs deeply while mumbling quietly under her breath, "I know..."

"Well then," The clone replies cheerfully as it claps its hands together loudly causing Nozomi to jump slightly in surprise before continuing brightly, "What are you waiting for? Let's go find her!"


Meanwhile...




Himari stumbles blindly through the darkness until she finally finds herself standing outside in an empty clearing by the forestry where she collapses onto her knees and begins sobbing uncontrollably. Tears stream down her cheeks, splashing onto the ground beneath her feet while she continues wailing for several minutes before finally calming down enough to wipe away some of the tears from her face using both hands before looking up towards the night sky above and whispering quietly under her breath, "Why? Why can't she just understand me?"

A few seconds later, Himari feels someone gently place a hand on one shoulder causing her eyes to snap open in surprise as she spins around quickly only to find herself staring directly into the concerned face of her clone who kneels beside Himari with an apologetic look on her face.

"Himari... Please don't cry," The clone whispers softly as it reaches out towards Himari's cheek, wiping away some of the tears from its creator's face before continuing gently, "I know you're hurting right now because of what happened between you and Mother earlier, but maybe it'd help if you both talked things out together?"

Himari stares silently at the clone for several seconds before shaking her head fervently as she replies quietly, "No... I'm not going back home tonight. Not after everything that's happened tonight."

The clone frowns slightly at Himari's response before asking curiously, "And why not? I trust you both meant well, but if you don't then—"

"Because I don't want to!" Himari interrupts angrily while glaring defiantly up at the clone. "I don't want anything to do with her right now! I'd rather be dead! I hate her!"

The clone stares silently at Himari for several seconds before replying, "You don't really mean that, Himari."

Himari glares angrily at the clone before shouting loudly, "Yes, I do! Now leave me alone!"

The clone continues staring intently at Himari for several seconds longer before it envelops its arms around Himari's neck and pulls its creator tightly against its chest while whispering, "I know how much you love Mother... And I know how much she loves you too. But please understand that sometimes people say things that they don't mean when they're upset or angry. So please don't take anything she said earlier tonight personally, okay? She loves you a whole lot, Himari... And I'm sure that if you just talk things through with her together then everything will be fine again."

Himari stares silently at the clone for several seconds before sighing deeply as she bows her head slightly forward while mumbling quietly under her breath, "Why are you so nice to me, anyway?"

The clone smiles warmly down at Himari before replying softly, "Because I love you, little sister."

Himari huffs and turns her head as best she can away from the clone, "You're just saying that to butter me up."

"Of course, not" The clone replies cheerfully as it bobs its head slowly from side to side. "I may not have existed until recently, but ever since my creation, I've always felt this overwhelming sense of love and affection towards you, Himari. You mean the world to me as much as Mother means the world to you and vice versa. But, this isn't about me, anymore, okay? It's about us. Because no matter what happens between us in the future, I promise that I'll always be there for you—for both of you—no matter what happens. Because that's what a family is supposed to do... And I want nothing more than that for you, too."

Himari stares blankly at the clone for several seconds longer before a single tear rolls down her cheek followed by another until eventually, she begins bawling obstreperously into the clone's chest causing it to wrap its arms tightly around Himari once more as it pulls its creator tightly against its chest while gently rocking her back and forth soothingly. The two remain like this for several minutes until Himari finally calms down enough to look up at the clone with a small smile on her face before asking quietly, "Do you really mean that?"

The clone smiles warmly down at Himari before nodding slowly as it replies softly, "Of course, I do... Now come on, let's get you home." Himari nods silently as she wipes away some of the tears from her cheeks using both hands before allowing the clone to pull her onto her feet. Once they're standing upright again, they turn toward the direction of home and begin walking slowly forward with the clone following closely beside her, hand-in-hand.

After a few moments pass by in silence between them, Himari suddenly stops walking causing the clone to stop beside her as well before turning towards Himari curiously as it asks, "Is everything alright?"

Himari stares silently up at the night sky for several seconds longer before smiling weakly up at the clone while shaking her head as she replies quietly, "I'm fine. Just thinking about something..." She pauses momentarily as she looks down towards their joined hands before continuing softly, "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

The clone nods its head. "Sure."

"How did you find me?" Himari asks curiously as she turns towards the clone once more with a curious expression on her face.

The clone smiles warmly up at Himari before replying cheerfully, "Ah, that? I just followed your chakra flow. It's hard to miss with how unique it is."


Come the next morning, sometime later...


Himari wakes up in her bed with a yawn and stretches her arms above her head as she slowly sits up in bed. After rubbing her eyes sleepily for several seconds longer, she finally notices that someone is sitting on the edge of her bed. Himari jumps slightly in surprise before turning toward the person sitting beside her only to find that it's just the clone from last night smiling warmly at her as it continues watching her silently while waiting patiently for Himari's brain to catch up with reality.

"Mornin', sleepyhead!" The clone says cheerfully as it reaches forward and quickly ruffles Himari's hair playfully causing Himari to giggle softly under its touch before reaching up and attempting to grab hold of its wrist gently.

"Hey! Stop that!" Himari whines playfully while trying unsuccessfully to push the clone's hand away from her head. After a few seconds pass by, she finally succeeds in pushing its hand away from her head causing both of them to laugh quietly together as they continue staring at each other for several moments longer until Himari finally asks curiously, "So... What happened last night?"

The clone smiles warmly up at Himari as it replies cheerfully, "Well, after you fell asleep on the walk back home, I carried you inside and tucked you into bed, free with a new set of pajamas from Ma, of course. Then she talked with me for a little bit about what she plans to do between the three of us by tomorrow morning before heading off to bed herself."

Himari stares silently at the clone for several seconds before asking softly, "Did she say anything else to you?"

The clone nods its head. "She wanted me to tell you that she loves ya lots and hopes that you can forgive her for what happened last night, but I think she wants to make a formal thing out of it until you wake up."

Himari smiles weakly up at the clone before replying quietly, "Thanks... And I'm sorry too."

The clone shakes its head slightly from side to side as it replies softly, "Don't mention it, I'm just doing what's right, after all," It then stands up from the bed, turns towards Himari, and holds out its hand toward her with a warm smile on its face as it continues cheerfully, "Now, come on! Let's go get some breakfast! Ma made your favorite!"

Himari grins happily at the clone before grabbing hold of its hand and allowing itself to help pull her onto her feet before following closely behind it as they exit Himari's room together. Once they reach the kitchen, they find Nozomi standing in front of the stove cooking something while humming softly under her breath. When she notices their presence, she turns around and smiles warmly towards Himari before asking curiously, "How'd you sleep last night?"

Himari smiles weakly towards Nozomi before replying quietly, "Good... Thank you."

Nozomi thrums before turning back towards the stove and continuing where she left off cooking whatever it is that she's making. After a few seconds pass by, she suddenly stops what she's doing and turns back towards Himari with an apologetic look on her face as she says softly, "I'm sorry about last night. I should've been more considerate about your feelings instead of getting angry at you like I did. I hope you can forgive me for my behavior."

Himari nods silently towards Nozomi before replying quietly, "It's okay... And I'm sorry too for saying those things to you earlier."

Nozomi shakes her head slightly. "No need to apologize. We both said some things that we didn't mean last night."

Himari smiles weakly towards Nozomi before bobbing her head once. "Okay... Thanks, Mom."




Nozomi returns the selfsame smile. "As for your clone here... She can stay. For the time being. But, if I ever find out that she's been causing any trouble or harming anybody then she'll be gone faster than you can say 'Byakugan'."

"Wait, you really mean it? Do you really, really mean it? Oh, thank you so much, Mom! I promise I won't let you down!" Himari exclaims happily as she rushes forward and envelops Nozomi tightly into her arms, hugging her closely. Nozomi nearly stumbles from the sudden impact but quickly recovers, halfheartedly scolding her for how she nearly could've tipped the stove over while the clone that stands by the side them, watching the events idly transpire with a countenance of contentment. After a few seconds pass by in silence between them, they release from each other's embrace, and Himari asks, "What are you making?"

"Geki Kara Tsukemen," Her mother replies somberly. "I figured since it's been a while since we've had it and I'd make some for breakfast today. Now, go seat yourselves at the table and let me focus. I'm almost done here."

Himari smiles slightly towards Nozomi before bobbing her head once as she replies quietly, "Alright!" Then turns towards the clone and grabs hold of its hand before leading it away from the kitchen towards their dining room table where they both take their respective places across from one another at opposite ends. When breakfast preparations are complete, a veritable feast is laid out on the table for them to partake in with Himari and the clone helping themselves to generous portions of food before digging into their meals together happily. After several minutes pass by in silence between them, Himari suddenly looks up from her plate towards the clone with a curious expression on her face as she asks curiously, "Hey... You don't have a name yet, right? I wonder what we should call you?"

The clone pauses briefly mid-bite before swallowing its foodstuffs and tilts its head slightly sideways as it asks confusedly, "Call who?"

Himari rolls her eyes slightly before replying sarcastically, "You, ya silly goose."

The clone stares blankly at Himari for several moments longer before finally understanding what Himari meant causing it to smile brightly towards Himari as it replies cheerfully, "I don't know. What do you think?"

Himari shrugs her shoulders slightly. "I dunno. How about... 'Hime'?"

"'Hime'?" Nozomi intercedes, shaking her head and setting down her cup of green tea. "We can keep the 'Hi' where it is, but I'm not so sure about the 'me'. It sounds too much like 'Princess'. Why not 'Hinano'? Or maybe 'Hikari'? Both are similar enough to your name that it shouldn't cause any confusion."

"I don't know how I feel about those," Himari calmly protests, rubbing the side of the index along under the bottom of her lip. "Oh! I know! What about 'Hisaki'? It means 'Holly Blossom', it's got my favorite word in it and the kanji for 'Hi' prefixed to it!"

Nozomi hums in contemplation before nodding slightly. "Hyūga Hisaki... It has a nice ring to it, but what do you think?" She asks, looking over at the clone.

The clone stares blankly at Nozomi for several moments longer before finally realizing what she meant causing it to smile brightly towards Nozomi as it replies cheerfully, "Hyūga Hisaki..." The clone repeats slowly, trying out the name for herself. After several more seconds pass by in silence between all three of them, the clone nods once again before smiling happily toward Himari and Nozomi as she replies excitedly, "I love it! Thank you!"

Himari smiles warmly towards Hisaki before replying softly, "You're very welcome!" Then the trio indulged each other for the rest of the day, half of which is spent familiarizing Hisaki with the traditions, values, and culture of the Hyūga Clan, Konohgakure-no-Sato, and the expectations set upon her the same way Himari did during her Academy Days. It isn't long until they learn that Hisaki is an exceptional student who picks up on everything quickly as though it comes as naturally as breathing. But, as they soon discover, this also means that she's prone to getting bored easily, too, unless they kick it up a notch.

The next several days pass by in a similar manner. Himari would spend most of her free time training Hisaki in Taijutsu and conditioning her form to its peak while Nozomi would teach Hisaki about the history and customs of their clan, bloodline, and other villages and clans that exist in between, alongside various other subjects such as basic chakra control exercises and meditation techniques. Together, they help her develop a strong foundation for future growth and potential. Whether she will make use of these latent talents is completely up to her own discretion...

---

WC: 7,662
TWC: 7,662

Requesting approval for the following claim(s):

Created a Living Clone (LC), "Hyūga Hisaki", via Fission Technique

Investing 7,662 TWC into the following *Specialty:

► Learning Space-Time as a Tertiary Specialty (1,500/1,500) [6,162 TWC Left]

Investing the remaining 6,162 TWC into the following *Jutsu:

► Training Taijutsu Infusion @ A-Rank (1,875/1,875) [4,287 TWC Left]
► Training Eight Trigrams: Heavenly Palm Rotation @ A → S-Rank (1,613/1,613) [2,674 TWC Left]
► Training Vacuum Wall Palm (2,063/2,063) [611 TWC Left]
► Training Singularity @ A-Rank (611/2,063) [0 TWC Left]

*25% Discount option via max stats

Himari Hyuuga wrote:Requesting approval for the following claim(s):

Created a Living Clone (LC), "Hyūga Hisaki", via Fission Technique

Investing 7,662 TWC into the following *Specialty:

► Learning Space-Time as a Tertiary Specialty (1,500/1,500) [6,162 TWC Left]

Investing the remaining 6,162 TWC into the following *Jutsu:

► Training Taijutsu Infusion @ A-Rank (1,875/1,875) [4,287 TWC Left]
► Training Eight Trigrams: Heavenly Palm Rotation @ A → S-Rank (1,613/1,613) [2,674 TWC Left]
► Training Vacuum Wall Palm (2,063/2,063) [611 TWC Left]
► Training Singularity @ A-Rank (611/2,063) [0 TWC Left]

*25% Discount option via max stats

Approved