The last fruit

"Did Anko manage to get you one of those rare swords?" Mariko asked in surprise when Ameyuri presented the Kubikiribocho for the same sealing process she had done with the previous ones.

"Yes, she's so happy that she didn't even wait until night to claim her 'prize,'" Ameyuri teased, inwardly respecting Anko's determination to achieve her goal despite the difficulties over the years. "I'll let her have a good time; she has earned it. In fact, I wonder if she can handle it alone..."

"You know, when you proposed this condition to her, I almost thought you were subtly rejecting her," Mariko admitted as she took out chakra ink and studied the broad surface of the sword.

"It seems you still don't understand me, then," Ameyuri laughed while sitting, swinging her legs, and taking out an apple to eat. "If I wanted to reject her, I would have kicked her in the ass the moment she told me to my face that she wanted to have my man too."

"Our man, Ameyuri," Pakura approached and corrected the last part she heard from her sister. "I also admit that I thought it was a temporary youthful infatuation, but Anko has shown what she really feels for Enel. I'm glad that we are now three sisters."

"At least I didn't make it as easy as you did. You just asked for some rare species for your kitchen!" Ameyuri pointed out as she chewed the apple. "And why did you come? Don't tell me you want the Kubikiribocho for Maki; I doubt the girl has enough strength even to lift it."

"It's not that; you can keep that piece of iron," Pakura rolled her eyes. "Maki finished weaving the cloud fabric roll and wanted to know when it would be convenient for Mariko to take a look to see what seals she could put on it. She has some ideas she wants to try."

"And why didn't she come herself?" Mariko asked intrigued.

"She's with Haku, you know," Pakura sighed as she turned her head and gave Ameyuri a reproachful look. "The boy was so innocent, and you ended up giving him a bad habit."

"Hey! It wasn't just my doing, Anko and Shizune also have a part, no, the majority of the blame," Ameyuri defended herself while still enjoying the apple in her hand. "We just gave him a new perspective on humor, gaining more confidence in himself."

"You should have seen Enel's eyelid twitch when he found out."

"Oh, I remember," Ameyuri nodded, widening her smile. "I couldn't walk straight for a week; it was great."

"Hey!" Mariko scolded Ameyuri. "And if Fu hears you? Do you want to be the one to give her 'the talk'?"

Ameyuri rolled her eyes but didn't say anything more.

She didn't want to step into that minefield, not until she had her first biological daughter.

Let Pakura or Anko handle that tricky part.

"Speaking of Fu, have you seen her?" Pakura asked, looking around. "She's not with the cloud foxes, nor in the training field. Did she go flying with Kimimaro on the Kinton clouds again?"

"She's with Mikoto," Ameyuri replied as she finished the last of the apple. "Since she started her rehabilitation, she's been spending a lot of time with her to cheer her up. Although she can take care of herself now and gives us some answers with her head if we ask, she still hasn't managed to speak again and still has dull eyes."

"Yes, Karin says it's a positive reinforcement for her recovery," Mariko nodded.

"Hey, Mariko," Ameyuri called. "Did Karin tell you if it's true about Tsunade?"

"Tsunade?" Pakura looked bewildered at the two.

"I found out after getting a couple of jugs of that special cider and getting her drunk, but I don't know if it's true or she was rambling," Ameyuri shrugged. "Apparently, she swallowed her pride and asked Enel last year to become her medicine master, just like Karin."

Pakura was left dumbfounded.

"Doesn't that mean Karin is older than Tsunade?" she asked with a strange tone, feeling that the situation was not quite right.

"The connoisseur is the master; age has nothing to do with it," Nemu recited as she joined the conversation. "Hello, moms and Mrs. Mariko."

"Hello, Nemu," Pakura smiled, already accustomed and delighted to be called that. "How did you get out of the laboratory so early today?"

"I came to deliver the Devil Fruit to Mrs. Mariko; she's the only one in the village who hadn't received one yet," Nemu explained as she took out a box and opened it to reveal a semi-transparent pear with swirls on its surface surrounded by cold air. "Dad took a bit longer than expected to adjust it and make sure it really had the expected effect, without leaving any exploitable gaps."

"I'll thank him later; he's... busy with some matters now, and it's better not to bother him," Mariko nodded as she looked curiously at the fruit before taking a bite and frowned. "The taste is not exactly pleasant."

"At least you didn't run to the bathroom to vomit for half an hour like someone I know," Ameyuri said, her eyes covertly glancing at Pakura.

"It was only once!" Pakura complained, shivering at the memory. "My poor tongue, I couldn't taste anything for a week."

"The effect seems correct," Mariko said, drawing everyone's attention when she made her right arm disappear, and they saw the brush fly in the air. "The invisible arm doesn't even cast a shadow; it's perfect."

"Is it a fruit with the power of invisibility?" Pakura asked.

"Yes," Nemu confirmed as she stored the preservation box. "Mrs. Mariko is the fourth and last user of a fruit classified as Paramecia. Now, all the villagers (including me) have a Devil Fruit ability."

"I have to admit they are convenient; it's a pity we can only eat one," Pakura sighed. "More than that, and our body simply won't accept it."

"At least we don't have side effects like the ninja from Kumogakure who haven't been very lucky with the SMILES; some are really ugly," Ameyuri said with disgust.

"You're right."

"Indeed, indeed."