Ramen, Secrets, and A Sister Oh My (Makoto)

[DASHE STORM]

"Yeah that's true I guess," Dashe replied. None of the children on the compound ever talked back to their parents. They always followed a given schedule it seemed and treasured any free time they were given. He would never have sassed his mother not after getting punished that one time for speaking out against the elders after pulling him out after graduating. Things had been different when his father was around. Now it was just like he felt trapped all the time and getting out to become a ninja kinda freed him from that. He truely dreaded going home sometimes and perhaps Makoto knew how he must've felt somewhat. "I know it wasn't my fault but I'm still sorry. Sorry that you had to leave and that I forgot about you but at least your here now!" He sighed it was annoying she had gotten rid of everything that reminded them of Makoto. Their mother had always been like that since their father's supposed death or disappearance.

"I'd like to hear about those secrets then. if something is up with the clan I wanna know about it. Things haven't been the same since father died or disappeared. He was an idealist like me who wanted to change everything about the clan y'know." The Elders had been furious with him over that but as long as he was clan head there wasn't much they could do. Then with his death they had practically taken most of the power making the clan head report to them. They had made many changes since then undoing what their father had done. His dream had been crushed and Dashe often wondered if the same would happen to him because he shared that dream.

[MAKOTO STORM]

Makoto stood up and hugged her brother. "None of this is your fault. It never was. It took me awhile to understand and not be angry at you." She let go of him. Makoto sat back down on her set, she looked down at her bowl, seeing her foggy reflection in the broth. She sighed and rubbed her forehead in thought of the reveal.

"This involves a lot of people. Mom, Dad, and the elders." She folded her hands into her lap. Makoto bit her lip for a moment. "The elders never really liked the fact the father was an idealist and how open he was to new things and bending traditions. The bullied mom into doing all of the dirty work." She paused for a moment and twirled her thumbs. "She went up to father one day and said enemy ninja were becoming a threat somewhere, it's escaping my mind right now, but that he was needed. Those people did professional assassinations." She sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose before setting her hand down in her lap again.

"Mom told him that the team he would be working with was out there in the forest. Father took up the honor to go out only to find no team. He supposedly went out far enough from the village to be ambushed by those people. He was killing in the process of protecting himself. They sat up the scene as if he were with a team." She rubbed the back of her neck, remembering the night before he went out and the day that he was killed. Everyone's sadness was fake or at least not everyone's was, a lot never knew about father's true death. Makoto was even lucky enough to hear the results of his death when she tried to take Head of Clan instead of Dashe, she remembered the elders face were all smug and laughed among each other. Now she wondered if she was a threat to them or if it's just their kekkai genkai they wanted to keep a secrete.

[DASHE STORM]

Dashe was a bit surprised at the sudden hug only to smile and return patting her back a little. "That's just me being sentimental as usual I guess," Dashe replied with a sheepish smile. He then turned back to his ramen to take a few bites as his sister seemed to do the same. He glanced back as Makoto finally spoke again. He stopped eating at the mention of his mother and the elders. He was already wary of the Elders he had never really liked them but to say his mother was involved as well. He dropped his chopsticks and turned completely to listen to her now. He tuned out the rest of the world only focusing on her.

He nodded a little he understood how much they hated change and those who dared to bend their traditions. They hadn't exactly liked the leaf village for forcing them to share some of those secrets blaming the Founder for being naive. As Makoto spoke of their mother giving father the supposed mission he took a deep breath. He remembered that day all too well. He had gone to his father's study to speak to him about something and and found the two speaking about something. His mother had spotted him and ordered some guards to take him outside to play. At the mention of his father being assassinated because of his mother's lie his eyes shot down to his hands which were slightly clenched now.

"I...but how could they...I don't," Dashe stuttered starting to break down now. So he had been killed because of his ideals then. The very thought made Dashe scared the same might happen to him. He had been rebellious as of late. He had promised his father he'd carry on his ideals one day and he had stuck to that promise. Could they be planning something this very moment to deal with him. The very thought was like poison to his mind making him a little paranoid. It also made him very angry but what could he do to stop them by himself. He was just to weak as he was right now. He clenched his hands tight now threatening to burst with tears now. "I don't know what to do now. I'm so scared I mean what if they are planning to do it to me!"

[MAKOTO STORM]

Makoto sighed hard, she hated being so serious. "Right now, your just like a puppet to them. For now you need to stay like that. Leave the planning to me but keep alert." She said, turning her head to face him. Makoto was silent for a moment, letting things soak in, but seeing his condition she was going to have to distract him.

"How about we go to the hot springs? Just like when we were little." She smiled big at him. Makoto still had some of her childish ways and didn't care if it was Dashe to see her naked, just as long as there wasn't another guy there to disturb them, then all was well for her.

[DASHE STORM]

"Yeah that sounds like a good idea to me," Dashe replied calming down now. In a sense she was right he was like a puppet and so was his mother. He felt bad for her since they had threatened her to assassinate their father. They had probably threatened to harm Makoto and himself if she didn't he wondered if placed in the same situation could he really kill his mother or sister. He then picked up a fresh pair of chopsticks and began eating his noodles which had gotten a little cold now. He looked up now at the mention of hot springs and nodded. It sounded like a good way to relax and that was exactly what he needed right now.

"Sure that could be fun I guess," Dashe replied. He couldn't remember the last time he had been to one. They did have a hot spring that both sexs could share but he doubted she had meant that one so he shrugged it off. She had said they had done that when they were little but it was another thing he couldn't remember. Thinking about it only gave him a headache. He smiled sheepishly finishing up his bowl now.

[MAKOTO STORM]

Makoto nodded slowly glad that he agreed to the plan they made, not just for the hot spring but staying undercover. It excited her even more that he agreed to go to the hot springs with her. "Great! We can go into the co-ed and wash each others back." She giggled, picking up her chopsticks and finished off her bowl.

Of course she wasn't aware of how Dashe was going to react to being in same bath together, but they did it when they younger, plus was that what most siblings did?

[DASHE STORM]

Dashe nodded a little it seemed she wanted him to go undercover. He wanted to ask her what she was planning but he figured that was best to ask later. One way or another those elders would pay. Only then could he reform the clan and instate a new council of Elders. Perhaps Makoto would be a part of it but he'd ask her later when he knew more of her plan. He started finishing his bowl of ramen broth off only to cough a little when Makoto mentioned using the coed hot springs and washing each others backs. He had to admit that would be nice but he would be a little uncomfortable doing that. Still they were siblings and that was normal for siblings of a younger age. If she was okay with it then he guessed he was too.

"Sure we can um do that if your fine with it," Dashe replied. Hopefully no one walked in on them especially from the clan but that was highly unlikely. The clansmen rarely left the compound as they had their own private hotsprings out back. He would just simply distract himself by talking to her about stuff so things didn't get awkward any.