Having tasted the harshness of the world far too early, Zaraki Kita remembered the ten-year-old girl she once was, marked by countless bite scars across her body. With a soft sigh, she raised her hand and gently stroked the girl's red hair.
"F…from now on… can… can I… consider… this… home?"
Karin smiled and nodded.
Rising to her feet, Zaraki Kita put on her shoes at the entrance. Karin, momentarily stunned, asked, "Sister Kita, where are you going?"
"Buy… ingredients… and cook… a meal."
"Eh eh eh?! Sister Kita… you can cook?!"
"Nonsense! What… do you… want to eat?"
"Ah, I'll eat anything… I'm so tired. Maybe we should just order delivery."
"I didn't ask you. I asked the Three-Tails."
"My name is Isobu," the Three-Tails said with an imposing tone, then added softly:
—Salted and peppered dried fish.
=======
Ninjas are not afraid of wind or rain; chakra can protect them before a single drop touches the skin. In Zaraki Kita's arms, Isobu, the Three-Tails, reveled in Amegakure. The streets were sparsely populated, though a few people were out. For outsiders, this light rain was perfect for staying home, but in this village, such weather was nothing unusual.
The village hadn't changed much; stores from years ago were still open. Zaraki Kita's expression remained calm, but Karin was especially alert, her gaze sharp and wary.
Upon entering the fish shop, the owner and his wife were startled. A weight in the owner's hand slipped to the floor, rolled, and landed at Zaraki Kita's feet. She bent down, picked it up, placed it back on the table, and gestured to the small fish in the bucket with a faint smile.
"C…count… these, please."
"Y…you… you're Zaraki Kita?!" The owner stuttered. Zaraki Kita nodded, silently answering. Karin's hostility became more evident, tinged with anger, her red eyes fixed on the stuttering owner. The owner's wife, ignoring the dirt on her hands, covered her mouth. The owner stiffened and hastily scooped up the small fish.
They were weighed, paid for, and the transaction was complete.
At the end, the owner grabbed two mackerel, bagged them, and handed them to Zaraki Kita.
"Promotion today—buy one, get one free!"
A clumsy lie. Zaraki Kita smiled helplessly, knowing she couldn't refuse.
After so many years, she had thought people would forget her existence. Yet those who should remember her did—at least the shops she frequented. They remembered the non-human called Zaraki Kita, with her long snow-white hair and sky-blue scarf, often wearing a white kimono with blue patterns. She walked slowly along the street, her back straight, her blue eyes soft and smiling. Her demeanor was graceful, her actions candid.
"Not…bad, this… village," she said, smiling as she held the groceries.
Karin pouted softly. "They know your name?"
"Ah… I… grew up… here," Zaraki Kita replied, looking up at someone hidden on the rooftops. Hmm… since when did the village have an ANBU presence? Are they watching me? A whole team? Is Konan worried I might harm someone in the village?
"D…during World War II, they came… from the Land of Water… and stayed… until now."
"Eh? Sister Kita, you're from the Land of Water?"
"No… not really. Just… born there. Don't… like the Land of Water. My homeland… is here."
They chatted and laughed along the way. By the time they reached the downstream area, the hidden ANBU were completely out of sight. Zaraki Kita was somewhat puzzled; after many years, the village had indeed changed. Still, outsiders were not allowed downstream, just as before.
It had been a long time since she had cooked herself. From the appearance and taste, her skills hadn't faded. Perhaps by coincidence, or perhaps deliberately, she had just finished preparing a relatively lavish meal when Obito appeared at the door. No sooner had she sat down than a knock resounded again. Zaraki Kita opened the door to see Itachi in a blue kimono, accompanied by Kisame in casual striped clothing, carrying something in his arms—likely some packaged dumplings.
"Sister Kita, we came to see you~"
Itachi said cunningly. Zaraki Kita glanced at the time—around seven o'clock. Visiting her at this hour was clearly just an excuse to snag a meal.
Kisame scratched his head, lifting the package.
"Raw fish sashimi."
They came prepared for this "visit."
Zaraki Kita smiled and shook her head slightly to let them in. Walking inside, she said, "Luck… perfect… just made… extra."
Indeed, with the purchased ingredients and the two mackerel gifted by the fish shop, she had managed to prepare a full meal.
Itachi removed his shoes at the entrance and entered naturally, only to see not just Karin but Obito, who had once impersonated Uchiha Madara.
"Ah, tricky… Obito, what are you doing here?"
Muttering through a mouthful of food, Obito glanced at Itachi. "Call me Uncle."
Itachi pursed his lips, unconcerned by this distant relative. In the Uchiha clan, family marriages were common, making Obito technically a distant uncle.
"Is it really okay for the Three-Tails to sit at the table and eat?" Kisame grumbled, sitting without waiting for permission. He grabbed a salted fish and stuffed it into his mouth, his shark-like face expressing satisfaction. In his words, the fish reminded him of home.
"Bastard, that's mine! Did I say you could eat it?!" Isobu shouted, slapping his three tails against Kisame's chest. Normally, Kisame would have been smashed flat, but now it was merely the struggling of a three-tailed turtle. Kisame lifted Isobu by the tail and threw him onto the sofa.
"Pet food is over there," he said, only to be pummeled by Karin, enraged.
"You damn shark!!! Don't bully Isobu!!!" Karin shouted, hitting Kisame repeatedly.
Kisame dodged while complaining, "Easy, easy… how is this little girl so strong?"
"Serves you right for bullying Isobu," Obito said with a laugh, popping another piece of salted fish into his mouth. Mm, Sister Kita' dish tastes better every time.
Itachi said nothing, quietly eating while they played. Honestly, Sister Kita' Tenrofu was delicious.
Zaraki Kita smiled, placed the sashimi brought by Kisame and Itachi on the table, and returned Isobu to Karin's arms, finally stopping the quarrel. Isobu and Kisame continued their playful struggle while Itachi and Obito used their Sharingan over the last piece of Tenrofu. Zaraki Kita swallowed her last bite of tea-soaked rice, signaling the end of the meal. Her earlier worry about whether they could finish it had been unnecessary.
After cleaning up, Kisame, Itachi, and Obito sat in the small courtyard with Isobu, drinking tea and eating the three-color dumplings Itachi had brought. Itachi fiddled with a shogi board, hinting at a match with Zaraki Kita. Kisame, Karin, and Isobu bantered nearby, while Obito stoked the playful chaos. Later, Deidara arrived briefly, drew a vial of blood, and left; he stayed only long enough to play cards with Kisame, Obito, and Karin.
The small courtyard echoed with laughter.
"Check!"
Itachi announced proudly as he moved his shogi piece. Zaraki Kita smiled, watching him grow stronger and more mature—it felt like a lifetime had passed.
"Lost… I lost."
"Finally, I win! 59 to 1, Sister Kita. Next time, get ready to be surpassed."
His cheerful, childlike demeanor had replaced the cautiousness of his early days in Akatsuki.
Zaraki Kita smiled, nodding slightly, fully content.
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