Seijirō Kamazaki stroked his beard thoughtfully as he lingered by Raven's crib. Chiyo stood beside him, watching their adopted daughter sleep peacefully in her new room. Seijirō cleared his throat with exaggerated gravity. "I must compose some sage-like wisdom for the fortune cookies we hand out… made of pizza crust, of course. The Krusty Kunai special demands no less."
Chiyo's head snapped toward him, her glare sharp enough to cut. "You big idiot! I told you not to hand out those ridiculous sayings. Why embarrass us like that?"
Seijirō puffed up defensively, crossing his arms. "Business is up thirty-two percent since I started doing it!"
Chiyo blinked, her anger faltering as her eyes widened. "What? Really?"
Seijirō nodded, smug but still pretending humility. "Indeed. People flock to our pizzeria for the wisdom as much as the food."
Chiyo's frown melted into pride. "Well then, keep doing it! Why didn't you tell me your persona was pulling in more Ryō? Husband, you make me proud. Our daughter will be overjoyed when that money is saved for her education and ninja tools."
Seijirō's eyes welled up with sudden tears. "Right… right… saved for her future. Totally not for drinks or the casino."
Chiyo's expression froze. Slowly, she reached for the rolling pin resting on the counter nearby. Her voice dropped into a dangerous calm. "If you waste a single coin, I'll beat you senseless myself."
Seijirō yelped, darting toward the door. "Okay, okay! Back to work, saving for Raven's ninja funds!"
Chiyo sighed, following him out, muttering under her breath about her foolish but endearing husband. She closed the door gently behind her.
Raven rolled her infant eyes, her voice sliding telepathically into Yumi's mind. "My parents sure are eccentric."
Yumi snorted from where she lounged, her tail swishing lazily. "You ain't just whistling Dixie."
Raven glanced at the door, confirming it was shut. "They're gone, right?"
Yumi gave a small nod. "Gone."
Raven's eyes sharpened, determination igniting. "Good. Most of my chakra has recovered, and my nature chakra reserves are steadily increasing. Time to begin again."
Her infant hands formed a weak seal, chakra surging outward. Smoke hissed into the air, dispersing to reveal her adult Shadow Clone—tall, with long white hair cascading over her shoulders, Rinnegan glowing, and clad in standard kunoichi attire. The real Raven, still an infant, drifted into sleep as her mind linked seamlessly with the clone.
The adult Raven looked to Yumi, her voice low and steady. "Are you coming with me this time?"
Yumi rose gracefully, her golden eyes bright. "I'd be delighted. What are we up to now?"
Raven pulled her cloak tighter, the mask hiding her expression. "Preparation for the future. We're going to the old Senju compound. There are things there I need to see."
Yumi inclined her head, tails flicking. "Then let's not waste time."
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