Butterflies and Puppets

Chapter 32

Mayumi stirs awake and opens her eyes to see Kumiko sitting around a fire, she turns to her and smiles. "It's about time you woke up, looks like your adrelinine was really up."

Mayumi stands up and sits across the fire from her, Kumiko holds out a bowl of rice and chicken for her which she quickly grabs and starts eating.

"So, we have a couple more days until we set out to leave back to the village. I'm sure you're ready to go home."

"Yeah.. I guess." 

"Well don't burst out in excitement now. Aren't you ready to see your family?"

Mayumi looks at her. "My parents are dead."

"I'm aware of that. You have your grandfather, Asuma, Naruto, that kid with the puppy, your squad."

"My teammates, Naruto and Kiba aren't my family."

"That's where you're wrong Mayumi. Just because they aren't blood doesn't mean they are not family. Look at me, I've been on my own since I was six. Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma and Iruka are part of my family. They always have my back, and I always have theirs. I trust them with my life. I'd do anything to keep them safe. Wouldn't you do the same?"

"Well yeah-"

"See, family is not always blood Mayumi. You love them enough and they love you enough."

"I don't know what love is.."

"I didn't know what love was..until I knew what love was not.."  Kumiko says softly looking down. Mayumi looks over at her confused. "I thought I knew what love was, until I actually lost love.."

"What do you mean?"  Mayumi whispers.

Kumiko looks over to Mayumi. "I thought loving someone was basically being there for them. Helping them, despite how they treat you.." she pauses for a moment and takes a deep breath. "I've never told anybody about this.. but when I was gone, I thought I loved someone. Like truly actually loved someone... and then I got pregnant.."

She stops as she starts to cry and takes another deep breath. "I got attacked and lost my baby. I felt a piece of me die that day. I didn't know how much I cared for that baby, until.. until it was too late. The dad wasn't a good man, thought I loved him. But I just loved the idea of being in love. Until.. I finally realized what love was, when I got back home, I knew I loved my friends, I knew I loved Iruka." She sits up straighter and looks Mayumi in the eyes. "If it doesn't make you happy, it's not love Mayumi."

They sit there in silence listening to the fire crackle until Mayumi speaks up. "When do I truly know when I love someone?"

"When it's no longer a question." She whispers. Mayumi looks at her a gives her a small smile. "Come on, let's get some rest, I wanna teach you a few things before we leave."

They settle in their sleeping bags Kumiko already asleep and Mayumi staring at the stars. Thinking about the past month. Wondering more about her mom, she feels as if there is so much more about her that she doesn't know. Wondering about loving her friends, is that what she feels? Caring for them so much she would risk her life for them? For her grandfather? Asuma? Is that was the warm feeling in her heart is when she thinks about Kankuro? She barely even knows him. But he makes her stomach feel weird. Could someone like her ever love anybody? Learn to love herself?

🦋

"Alright!" This is our final day Mayumi!" Kumiko shouts pulling out her staff. "This is an all or nothing I want you to give me everything you have! I want you come at me for the intent to kill me. Can you do that?"

Mayumi smirks. "Of course!" She shouts as she draws her sword out and sprints to Kumiko. She quickly swings her sword at her but Kumiko dodges it fast as Kumiko taps her staff onto the earth turning into sword. They go on for a while fighting sword to sword until Kumiko finally says something.

"This is pathetic Mayumi! Come on! You're not even trying!"

"Yes I am!" Mayumi grunts back. She jumps up into a tree for a brief moment until she turns behind her and sees Kumiko swinging her sword at her. She quickly dodges it as the tree beach she was on quickly shreds to pieces. Using the blade of her sword she swipes her finger across it making her thumb bleed then smears the blood her palm softly speaking Shintai. "Watashi wa jibun no rei ga arawarete tasukete kureru yō yobikakemasu. (I call upon my spirits come forth and help me.)"

She looks up and Kumiko standing tall with her six summons all around her.

"That's a lot better!" Kumiko shouts as she makes some clones. "So, I guess you have one for Kiba." She shoots a kunai at the Pleasure summon it quickly deflects it. "One for Naruto." Attacking Joy, "I guess one for Asuma, your mom and your dad." She says attacking the anger, sorrow and hate. "But oh, what about Love? Love Mayumi? How about Kankuro?"

"Shut up!" Her love summoning attacks three of Kumiko's clones. "You know nothing about me!" She spats swining her sword around spending a slashing wind towards her.

"Oh but I do Mayumi, I see you in me. You're very dangerous." Kumiko dodges her attack.

"You don't see shit in me!" She shouts tensing up her body with rage.

"You're right, I don't. Asuma was right, you are worthless."

"Don't you ever talk about Asuma! Don't you ever dare to talk about my family or friends!" Mayumi jumps up above Kumiko bringing down her blade once more right beside Kumiko. They both stand there glaring at each other Mayumi panting with tears streaming down her face falling to her knees. She places her face into her hands. Many emotions over coming her.

Pain from feeling like she let her mom down. Wishing she could have done more. Disgust because she didn't know the full extent of her dads behavior. Guilt because she kept pushing Asuma away because she was fed lies from her father and believed them. Depression, because she felt like the world was always against her pulling her in the throwing her back out. Shame, because she could be so much better as a friend to everyone around her.

"I am my own person!" She shouts standing up. "I don't have to fit into anybody else's world! I can control myself!" She waves her hand letting two summonings disappear. "I left my fingerprints through this world already and I'm not going to stop now, I'm good enough." She let's two more summonings go. "I have made people smile! I have wiped tears from friends. I am good enough." She makes the rest of her summons leave and takes her sword and puts it back on her back. "I have people who care about me. I am good enough. I have loved the wrong and wronged the loved. I stand my ground. Because I was born to raise hell!"

She stands tall with her long blonde hair that's in a mess blowing in the slight breeze, in front of Kumiko staring her down. She realizes her life is just now starting.

Feeling powerful, because she missed her mark on purpose.

Brave, because she stood up for herself.

Fearless because she knows she will be the first to jump in when she is needed with no questions asked.

Pride, she knows who she is and who she has become.

And in that moment. She finally remembered who she was, and the game changed.