Chapter 3 - A New Clan from the Ashes

As Izumi watched her world abandon her, she felt a hand fall on her shoulder. She turned to see Hana, tears rushing from her eyes, and held out her arms. Hana embraced her, and the two held each other for some time. Izumi tried to give her little cousin some comforting words, but she couldn’t find any even for herself. She was too stunned by how easily her life had just fallen apart. After several minutes of silent embrace, Hana looked up at Izumi’s face and used the back of her wrist to wipe some of the water from her own eyes.

“What’s going to happen to us?” she asked as more tears started to form. Izumi didn’t have an answer, but she couldn’t let her little cousin continue to cry.

“I don’t know, Hana,” she said in return, “but we’ll think of something.” Hana bowed her head and cried into Izumi’s shoulder, and Izumi looked up at her brothers. She was just as confused and worried as Hana, even though she didn’t show it. The two brothers knelt down next to their sister and cousin, Mikon laying his hand on Hana’s shoulder.

“Listen, Hana,” the eldest sibling whispered, causing the ten year old to momentarily stop crying and look up at him, “we’re going to be all right. At least we are all here for each other.”

“Yeah,” added Akai, patting the little girl’s shoulder, “and your mom and dad, too. We’ll find some way to get by.”

“Come on,” Mikon said, and he took Hana’s hand as he stood up, bringing her up with him, “let’s go see your parents.” He walked with her over to where Meikou and Kawaii were waiting. Akai staid kneeling next to Izumi.

“Will you be alright, sis?” he asked. Izumi glanced at the root that was still jutting out of the ground before saying anything.

“I don’t know,” she replied, looking down at the ground. “I don’t know if I’ll be alright. I don’t even know what’s happened to me.”

“Don’t worry about it,” said another voice, and both Akai and Izumi looked up as Taka knelt down next to them.

“About what?” asked Izumi half-heartedly. Taka leaned forward and grasped the base of the root.

“About this,” she said, snapping the root out of the ground with a twist of her wrist, “I don’t know you very well, but I can already tell that you’re strong of heart. The way you comforted little Hana over there, even in the midst of realizing what you’ve become, that takes real character.” She stared into Izumi’s eyes as Izumi met her gaze. “And I know personally that if a person is strong of character, it doesn’t matter what kind of inner demons they have. You can handle this. It’s not going to kill you and that can only make you stronger.” The two girls stared at each other a few moments longer, and Izumi smiled. Something inside her told her that Taka was right.

“Thank you,” she said to Taka, leaning over and wrapping her arms around her, “I needed that.” Taka was surprised by the sudden embrace, but she did nothing to resist. After a moment Izumi let go of Taka and wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Come on,” said Akai, rising to his feet and offering a hand to his sister and to Taka, “let’s go speak with Lady Hokage, maybe she can help us decide what to do.” Each of the girls took his hand and he helped them both to their feet. Then they all turned and walked over to Lady Tsunade, who was still staring out the gate, as if her gaze alone would be enough to set the Kajihana Clan’s wagons on fire. Mikon noticed them and followed with Meikou and his family.

“Lady Hokage,” Akai said respectfully with a slight bow.

“Yeah, what is it?” replied Tsunade before taking her eyes off of the gate. When she turned and realized that it was Akai who had spoken and that the others were with him, she added, “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it was you all.” She bowed respectfully to the group, but mostly toward Izumi and Hana. “I’m very sorry that I couldn’t do more. The Leaf Village has never banished an entire clan before, but I could not allow them to remain any longer after what they did to you all.”

“We understand, Lady Hokage,” replied Akai, “but that is not why we wish to speak to you.”

“You aren’t sure where to go from here, are you?” Tsunade asked, a look of understanding on her face.

“That is right,” replied Akai, and the others with him all nodded.

“That is not true!” shouted another voice, and everyone turned to see Lee making his way towards them on his crutches. He stopped and offered a clumsy but respectful bow to Lady Tsunade. “Lady Tsunade, if I may be so bold to say so, I believe that after everything they just did, Akai and his family deserve the right to be called true citizens of Konoha. They belong here in the village.”

“Yeah, bushy-brows is right!” added Naruto as he and Sakura walked up behind Lady Tsunade, “the other Kajihanas might be a bunch of dirt bags, but Akai here is a great guy, as are his siblings and his cousin, aunt, and uncle.”

“I agree, Tsunade-sensei,” said Sakura, “we need more people like them here in the village.”

“Well,” said Lady Tsunade as she turned back to Akai and the others, “it seems as if some of our number want you to stay here in the village.” She pondered silently for a moment before continuing. “The only problem is that you are now no longer part of a recognized clan.”

“Oh, come on now, Tsunade, you know there’s a simple way around that,” said a mocking voice from somewhere nearby. Tsunade instantly recognized the voice and looked about to find the speaker but it was Naruto who spotted him first.

“Pervy Sage!” he shouted, staring up at a nearby rooftop, “when did you get back?”

“Not long ago,” Jiriya replied, “I realized something was going on so I came over. Right about when you guys approved expelling the Kajihana Clan, I think.” He leapt down from the rooftop and approached Tsunade, who actually looked rather annoyed. She was about to ask him something, but he raised his hand to stop her. “We can discuss my mission in private after this matter has been taken care of.” Tsunade, apparently not used to having others tell her what to do, became even more annoyed, but she reluctantly agreed.

“Very well then, Jiriya” she replied reluctantly, “how do you propose we get around the village laws that state only clans recognized by the Land of Fire can be admitted as members?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Jiriya replied, which only annoyed Tsunade even more. Even Akai was confused as to what Jiriya could be getting at. It was Shikamaru, stepping up from behind Naruto and Sakura, that gave them the answer.

“It’s kinda simple,” he said slowly, “you just have to found a new clan. All you technically have to do is come up with a name for the clan and make a formal declaration of establishment. If you want, you could also have recognized clans sponsor the new one, making it more agreeable to the village council.” He shook his head, apparently disappointed that no one else had thought of that course of action. Tsunade, after a moment of annoyance for not realizing it herself, turned to Akai and his family.

“Well, would you be willing?” Akai, not wanting to speak for everyone, turned to face Meikou, Kawaii, Hana, Izumi, and Mikon. Though none said a word to each other, they could each see in the others’ eyes what they all wanted. This time, it was Mikon who turned and addressed Tsunade.

“Indeed, we would be, Lady Hokage,” he said, “we will be sticking together no matter what, so it might as well be as a new clan.” Lady Tsunade nodded and smiled at this response, then turned around and addressed the shinobi who were still gathered in the square.

“I need three clans that are willing to sponsor Akai and his family, in order to recognize the founding of a new clan.” When Tsunade finished, she was surprised when Hinata was the first person to step forward.

“If it is all right with my father,” she said with a glance back at Lord Hiashi, who nodded, “then the Hyuga Clan will sponsor them.”

“The Nara Clan as well,” added Shikamaru. Tsunade looked about for a third, and it was Kakashi that stepped forward.

“The Hatake Clan will also sponsor,” he said with his smile hidden by his mask, “it’s about time we had some new faces around here.”

“Very well,” Tsunade continued, turning back to Mikon, “now all we need is a name and a formal declaration from whoever you choose to be your leader.” At this, Mikon and Akai turned back to their kin, to decide who that leader would be. It was Meikou who spoke up first.

“I might be the oldest among us, but I have never been a leader,” he said as he looked at the two brothers, “I think one of you two should be the head of the clan.” When he said this, Kawaii, Hana, and Izumi all nodded in agreement. Akai and Mikon turned to each other, and Akai was the first to speak.

“I don’t want to lead the clan,” he told his brother, shaking his head, “at least not the day to day affairs. If anything comes up involving the shinobi I would be glad to step up, but you’re the one that always dreamed of leading the clan. This is your chance.” For a moment, Mikon seemed taken aback by this display of faith, but he quickly got over it.

“I would be honored,” he said as he bowed to the others, “and I think I know the perfect name for this new clan.” He turned and faced Lady Tsunade and the gathered shinobi.

“Lady Hokage. Honorable shinobi of the Leaf Village. I, Mikon, and my kin, Akai, Izumi, Meikou, Kawaii, and Hana, hereby found a new clan. A clan based in the principles of character and heart, on the spirit of the individual working with the spirit of the group. I hereby declare the formation of the Seishou Clan!”
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Later that night, after most of the village was asleep, a lone figure snuck out onto the southern wall. Wrapped in a heavy brown cloak to shield against the nighttime chill, the figure made her way to the very top of the South Gate, where she turned and stared off toward the south. A tear slid down her cheek as she thought about the world she had lost and the world she had gained. The wind blew her hood off and Izumi shuddered, not from the cold, but from not knowing what lay ahead.

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