shido_shinme

At Naoru's request, I have arranged for her to undertake the genin test at the academy at her earliest convenience. These days have been full of many things, and I have been busy, but nothing is so important as family. I must devote greater time to them. Naoru grows with every passing day, and I could not be more proud of her.

1: I would have been blind a thousand years had you not condemned me to a life of open eyes.  In payment of this debt, I have accepted to carry the burden of the consequences of your boon. So long as it is within my power, your life will be blessed.

2: You may think that we are friends, that perhaps I care about you. I do not. The only value of your life or death, lies in it's harmony with my purpose.

3: I do not presume to dictate the actions of others, but if you ignore my council, you do so at great peril.

4: Pray that we do not meet. For at home or abroad, it may be your death.

5: Your life is less valuable then the creature that lives inside you. You are a fool to not master it.

6: You alone of all creation are more dear to me then my power or purpose. I bear many scars, but the worst which cannot heal, is your pain. My only consolation, slight as a needle's reflection of moonlight is that I will bear it with you.

7: You would not approve of who I am, or what I have done. But I am not you. I am unlike anything you have ever imagined, and I shall be greater still.

8: I am glad for your death. It has made me stronger.

9: From the moment we met, something strange worked upon my heart. I have never understood it. I cannot predict what I would do should you come again into my life.

10: I respect both your ingenuity and your drive, but your emotions have made you weak.

Through events of which you are all no doubt in part aware, I am greatly weakened. Naoru will survive, or perhaps better to say her chances of continued survival are roughly equivalent to the rest of ours.

Ichigo-sama, Shinsen-san, thank you for your assistance.

All of this has only served to remind me once again that every action no mater how seemingly slight may have dramatic consequences, and though forethought should never be paralyzing, it must always be entertained to the best possible advantage.

If any medical experts have time to spare, I believe I would benefit from consulting with them, though I regret I cannot yet leave my home.

There are things that should never be done without due consideration. It has become clear, however, that I love Uchiha Rena, and that will never change. She has consented to become my wife. I could not be happier.

My return to Oshin proved more shocking then the original. It saddens me greatly that Keito Nakaakan's laboritories, and dojo have been utterly destroyed. I could have learned much of him and perhaps of his continued work by studying there. The rest of the Keito Clan that is not slain by the same stroke, including Nakamura-dono, will bear a bitter feud against the Kazekage, and against us.
    I fear this move will galvanize the unaligned villages to choosing sides. They will see the destruction of Oshin as a clear threat to their own continued existence, and will either seek asylum with us, with the enemy, or, if they are especially foolish, with their political powers. If you were expecting to have personal time in the coming weeks, I would warn you, do what you can now. I believe it highly probably we will be receiving an enormous number of low priority but long term mission requests from the surrounding villages, who will be seeking the protection of Konoha shinobi, but lacking the resources to requisition an actual garrison.  In these missions be cautious. They will provide an excellent opportunity for the growing number of Jaashin priests and Yakuza Syndicate Assassins to thin our numbers.

It is good to have family. It was a pleasant use of an afternoon, and something long absent from my experience. Not since I was very, very young have I felt so satisfied.

I have returned, though it will be several days yet before I return to active duty. I am sorry to be gone for so long.

Yesterday was an unusual day. After training I allowed myself to be lured to the Karaoke bar, and eventually found myself in a drinking contest with Squirrel-san. Sadly, I won. Someday this will not be the case.
Today I will focus completely on stamina training, to take advantage of the hangover. Of recent I have found myself focusing almost entirely on my kendo, and of course, on training Naoru-kun. I find little in life is so satisfying as having the time to devote myself almost entirely to physical pursuits, devoid of the pollution of scientific thought or academic research. This is the first extended opportunity of this nature I have enjoyed since the I began research toward the shinkeitai. It is good.

I did not foresee her coming, nor was it by my design that it should be so. There are responsibilities inherent to bringing life into the world, this I have well known, for as long as I can remember. I do not know if I am best suited to the fulfillment of those responsibilities, but I am more than willing to undertake the challenge. In life there are many mysteries, and the discovery of them is a goal that has kept me occupied for much of my life. Recent events have led me to question the life I have chosen for myself, and the conclusion I have come to is this: No man, nor woman neither, can live entirely for the benefit of others. Today, I do something for myself.

Pending the approval of the Hokage Office and the Governors of State of the adoption papers I have submitted, her name will be Shido, Naoru.