And The Pain Ends

Taku woke up and id the normal early morning routine. This was going to be a good day though a very busy one. First she had to go to the academy to meet the girls she would be training, and after that she would have to be the maid of honor in Sakura’s wedding. Naruto, Taku’s uncle, would be acting as best man. Taku was still a little confused about why Sakura had decided she should be the maid of honor in the wedding but Taku had a feeling it had something to do with who broke the news of the pregnancy to Sasuke. Taku crawled out of bed and took a quick shower before changing into a training outfit and laying out the puffy pink monstrosity Sakura has chosen for her bridesmaids to wear. The others were a lighter pink but Taku’s matched the color of the other girls hair. It even included a ribbon with a tacky pink cloth rose on it to go around her neck.

It was at moments like this she wished a brides sense didn’t go down the drain while picking out bridesmaid dresses. Of course, because of Sakura’s pregnancy she had an affinity for dressing everything and everyone up in something pink and frilly. Even Sasuke and the groomsmen had to wear a pink frilled shirt under their suit jackets and nobody felt up to fighting with a hormonal pregnant bride who thought no one liked her fashion sense. Therefore, no one said anything about the atrocious garments.

Taku went downstairs and made a big breakfast full of protein and carbs, she had a feeling she was going to need it before the day ended. Chouji woke up and trod down the stairs with bandit right behind him. Bandit climbed up Taku’s legs tickling her and made his way up to her shoulder to sit so she could feed him off her plate. Kenshin and Shizuko stumbled down the stairs together rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. “You guys are just going to have to get used to getting up early around here. When we haven’t been drinking the night before the two of us are very energetic morning people.”

“Yeah, yeah, we know Taku it’s just going to take time for us to change our internal clocks so we can wake up on time.” Kenshin immediately yawned after saying that.

Taku put on her best motherly voice before addressing the entire group at the table, “Now children, remember your only allowed to train until three and after that we have to head straight home so we can get ready for the wedding tonight.” They all nodded their heads in agreement as Taku lifted up a piece of bacon to her shoulder so bandit could eat as well. Soon they were all headed out the door and to their respective training grounds. Taku had to go to the academy to pick up her new genin. On her way there bandit jumped off her shoulder and headed down an alleyway. She ran after him afraid to loose her new pet. What she found when she looked into the cardboard box that bandit had ducked in surprised her. It seems when bandit was staying with Tsundae she let him out into the city, otherwise there wouldn’t be a pregnant female ferret laying in this box.

Taku smiled lightly thinking that her family was growing everyday and headed for the academy again. She realized once she was about to walk through the door Bandit had just made her into a Kakashi coming in late with a lame excuse. If Naruto found out he would never let her hear the end of this. Taku sighed and walked into the door quickly sidestepping out of the way of a chalk filled eraser that had been placed on the top of the door. She wasn’t afraid of being covered in chalk and in fact she believed she deserved it but then again she couldn’t allow the pregnant ferret to get upset.

“Alright I’m sorry I’m late but I had to pick up Bandit’s girlfriend. We wouldn’t want an easily upset pregnant ferret running around the streets of town now would we.” As soon as that was said the girls rushed over to ooh and awe over the cute little animals. Taku sighed, it was the perfect way to get the three little girls minds off the fact that she was Late. “Wait, three! Wasn’t I supposed to be training only two?” One of the little girls smiled up at her. she was wearing only dark green and black, perfect colors for a ninja. She had long dark hair and the pale trademark Hyuuga eyes.

“Sorry miss Taku, but since Miss Sakura is unable to train you have been given three instead of two, I’m Hanabi.”

Taku smiled, “Hinata’s little sister? It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m very good friends with your older sister but I thought you were older than the genin graduating.”

“I actually am but my father didn’t sign me up for the academy until he was sure Hinata would be a good choice for the next Head of the family. Therefore, I’m graduating a little later than most people my age.” The three girls stood up as Bandit left the box and crawled back to Taku’s shoulder. Hanabi motioned to the two shorter girls. “This is Moegi the girl you always see Konahamaru hanging around with, and the early graduate the youngest of us all is Ichi Uchiha.” Taku nodded her head she had heard of the woman who had been found injured with Itachi’s offspring inside her. The story was that she had been raped by the evil Uchiha and she needed a safe haven to have her baby. After having the baby though she had never left, after learning of the Uchiha clan’s trait she decided her child would be better off training as a ninja. Taku agreed. If the girl hadn’t trained the Blood line trait would have shown up during puberty and she would have had no idea how to control it. As far as Taku knew Sasuke had nothing to do with niece and Taku felt that was very wrong. She would have to talk to him bout it sometime.

“Alright today we are going to spend our time together getting to know each other since I have to leave a three to get ready for a wedding.” Taku had gained the girls attention. “We will start by telling our names, our likes, dislike, hopes and dreams, and to get away from normal our greatest fear. Just to be fair, and to show you how to do it I‘ll go first. My names is Taku I like cooking, painting, singing, and dancing. I dislike cruelty to animals and children. My hope is to someday have a rug rat just like you three and my dreams are my own personal affairs. My biggest fear is that I will loose everyone I love and be alone. Ok Hanabi your turn.”

Hanabi looked up at her new teacher wondering if she really wanted to know her biggest fear, “Well you know my name is Hanabi, I really like to paint even though I realize I’m not good at it. I don’t like the expensive dinners father has prepared every single night. My hope is to someday be as wonderful of a person as my older sister and that is my dream as well. My biggest fear…” Hanabi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “…is any type of arachnid.”

Taku smiled, “Now that wasn’t so hard was it, and to tell you the truth I wouldn’t want to meet a spider or scorpion in a back alley either. Okay Moegi your turn.”

“Well, I really like hanging out with Konahamaru and learning techniques from Naruto, when he has time to teach us that is. I hate it when people are mean to others for no reason at all. My hope is that someday our village will treat everyone equally. My dream is to help make it happen, even if I only help a little. My biggest fear… well… I’m afraid of snakes thanks to Orochimaru.” Moegi stepped back as Ichi Uchiha stepped forward.

“My name is Ichi Uchiha, I like to learn things and I read almost all the time. My mother says the day she sees me having fun instead of training or reading she will know the world is coming to an end. I don’t like to hang around other people much because I’m never sure what to say to them because so many remember what my father did, and they resent me for it. My hope is that I can find a way to get my uncle to acknowledge me in some way because my mother says he has avoided her since she moved here. My dream is that we could all be one big happy family. My biggest fear is that I am anything like the man who got my mother pregnant.” Taku wanted to fall on her knees and hug the girl, but she knew the kunoichi would not appreciate that. She was here to become strong not to bust into tears in her Taku’s arms.

“Alright girls, that is enough for today head straight home I have some things to do.” The first thing she did was run over to the Uchiha Compound to pound some sense into a certain Raven haired groom. She noticed him outside lounging around in the sun and enjoying his day off. She walked up to him and began in a nice voice, “Hey Sasuke, have you invited your niece and her mother to the wedding?”

“No Taku, I didn’t. Before you get all crazy on me though I want you to know it isn’t because she is my brother’s child but I was afraid of confronting her mother. You see I thought it might be a little hard to handle seeing someone who looked so much like her rapist. I don’t want to cause the last of my family undue stress.” He ended with a sigh and Taku took a seat on the grass beside him.

“Well, I’m sure you didn’t know this but your niece is my student. Under her hopes during the introduction ritual you were listed under the hopes. She wants you to acknowledge her in any way that’s why she is trying so hard to become strong. She loves you and wants to be a part of your life. If I were you I would come to my senses and at least go to see her before you create another Itachi.” With that Taku stood up and walked away leaving Sasuke alone with his thoughts and an address. For goodness sake Taku was not a wonder woman and she still had a wedding to get ready for. She rushed home and took a quit shower before pulling on the frilly monstrosity that was her dress. Chouji was already there and packing a quick lunch to take on their journey to the Hokage’s building where the ceremony would be held.

The day wasn’t even half over and it had already been an abnormally long day. The dress was on and they were on their way eating sandwiches very carefully, so they didn’t get anything on their formal wear.

The ceremony was absolutely beautiful, if you could look past all the glaring pink that is. Taku took the arm of her uncle when it was offered to her and they walked down the aisle to the waiting front. As Taku turned around to stand in the line of bridesmaids she saw Sakura walk out. Sakura was absolutely glowing when she walked to the front of the chapel. By the time the kiss came around, Taku had a tear rolling down her cheek, not from the words said but from the meaning behind them. These two people were standing hand in hand in front of everyone giving their hearts to each other, and promising to love one another for the rest of their mortal lives.

They were at the reception and the part that Taku had been dreading, the toasts. She had to stand and do hers first. “Sakura and Sasuke have stood before you today and shared a piece of their souls with us. This is the most important day in a woman’s life, the day we dream of from the time we are old enough to play dress up. Sakura I just hope your wedding day has measured up to your fantasies and that the life this bring will surpass all your dreams.” The champagne flutes were touched together and then Naruto stood up and cleared his throat.

“What can I say, I have been on a team with these two people since I was twelve years old. I remember a time not so long ago when Sakura ran around after a Sasuke that completely snubbed her. To be perfectly honest for a while I thought Sasuke was gay, he never showed any interest at all in the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, after Hinata of course hee hee. Anyway, Sakura get ready to have at least ten babies Sasuke has a clan to rebirth.” After making sure Sakura was as pale as she could get Naruto got serious, “Remember both of you, you started a new family today, and family is the most important thing in the world. It teaches you where you come from and where your going. Family supports you and cares for you when no one else will. Your family is everything when you feel like you have nothing, so cherish it forever.”

The rest of the night went smoothly and Chouji and Taku were walking home together alone when he did something that completely surprised her. He dropped down on one knee in the middle of the street and asked her to marry him. Taku had tears running down her cheeks and she grabbed on to Chouji with all she had in her. “Yes Chouji, I love you and I thought you would never ask.”