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─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───
"𝐈 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔."
Inari muttered, standing in front of her families painting.
She was talking to her father in the painting, one of the few paintings that included him around her home. This was a painting that was painted when she was four years old, a few months before her disappearance.
It was the entire current Founding Family together in the painting. Hanami stood next to her father and in front of them was the twins. Inari thought they all looked like a happy family, she smiled a bit at that.
Her father looked a lot like Kiyoko, he had medium length hair that was a bit wavy, his eyes were lively even though they were gray. He had his hand on Hanami's shoulder and he was the only one was smiling. Inari could remember that paintings took a long time and people don't usually hold their smiles for so long, but he did.
Inari wished that she remembered how her dad was like, Hanami would tell them what he was like before he died. Inari always felt bad, that she didn't remember him.
Blood splattered on her face, she didn't flinch. She just stared at the body in front of her, the person she killed. Her eyes were wide and dull, with a tear stained face but it was like emotions were sucked out of her.
"I'm impressed." A man with a snake-like face appeared, she turned around, "You actually did it." She looked down and then back at him, "I see what you really are, and I can see what you can do." He opened up her arms out for her and smiled, "It's all right. Come here."
Could she trust him? Inari stared at him, she walk towards him and he pulled her into a hug, "Who are you?" She whispered,
"I'm your father."
"Lady Inari? Are you alright?" Akane asked while putting a hand on her shoulder.
A tear rolled down from her cheek, Inari turned back to Akane, her bottom lip trembled as she fought back tears.
Akane noticed and pulled her into a hug, Inari hugged her back tightly, "You can cry Inari." She reassured her with a back rub.
Inari couldn't stop crying, she was holding onto Akane for support. Akane felt like a mother to Inari, a better mother than her real mother. "I-I...I just-" She tried to talk in-between sobs. Akane looked at Inari and wiped her tears, "Lady Inari--you don't have to say anything. I know you miss him." Her voice was so soothing and soft, Inari felt safe with her. So safe.
Inari smiled softly, "Thank you, Akane."
Akane's hands held Inari's, Inari felt her hands, she felt the callouses from practicing with the sword, she felt her soft palms, they felt wrinkly but soft at the same time, Inari could feel Akane's story, her hardships, and her success. They were the hands of a kind, loving mother.
This is something she never even felt with Hanami, when Hanami held her hands, Inari just felt hands.
There was no happiness, just sadness in Hanami's hands.
Inari let out a sigh, "Can we go in Amaterasu's Garden?" She asked, looking at Akane with glossy eyes.
Akane smiled and nodded. They both walked inside the garden. Inari walked next to her, her eyes were observing the beautiful bright flowers. Some young, some old, but none of them were withered--all were in perfect condition. It was Hanami and their maid Akira that would keep the Garden intact, Hanami spent most of her time in the Garden. Kiyoko and Inari would sometimes watch Hanami maintain the flowers and plants. It was one of the few times where their mother looked so peaceful. So beautiful.
Her soft hums, singing a sweet tune. Inari would imagine that she was singing with the birds that would always sing around her. Her purple hair draped down her back, her hands were so gentle with the plants, she really cared for them. Inari would always think about if she was a flower, would Hanami care for her like how she does for the other plants?
"The flowers are so gorgeous. Aren't they, Inari?" Akane turned to her, "They all feel so happy when I touch them." Inari responded, not taking her eyes off the flowers.
Inari touched the small thorns on the stem of the red roses, one of the sharp ends poked Inari's finger, a small drop of blood fell down her finger tip. "I wish I met him. I wish it so much. I know his name, I know how he looks like, but I don't know him. The only father I've had is Lord--I mean Orochimaru. He was there for me, he said that he is my real father no matter what. But everyone is telling me that's not true, and they just expect me to understand. But I don't." Inari stopped walking, she plucked out a tulip from its stem and twirled it around.
"How can I just listen to them? All I've ever known is Orochimaru. I don't know my real father at all, I don't remember his hands, his voice, anything. How can I just pretend that I know him?" She looked at Akane with sad eyes.
Akane paused, "I don't think I'll ever understand what you are going through, Lady Inari. You're so young and you've gone through so much, you didn't deserve that. But what I know, what ever you feel about Orochimaru isn't bad at all. He basically raised you--told you what he is to you and when you have no one else. Of course you'll believe what he tells you. I know my words probably won't change anything but you can still care for someone while accepting they didn't treat you like how you should've been treated. Remember Lady Inari, you don't need to force feelings for anyone, ever."
Inari peeled off the pink petals from the tulip, she held them in the palm of her hand. Her hand lifted up to the air, she opened her hand and let the petals dance in the wind.
She turned back to Akane, who was smiling a sweet smile at her. Inari held her hand and smiled.
