Chapter 1: Split
Arisu Chikumo, now fifteen years old, has taken over her mother's position as leader of the assassin clan. Although she was considered old enough, Arisu was still nervous about her position and wondering if she was really cut out to be the leader of a strong clan like this. She also questioned this because her mother moved out of the leader's house and was leaving her alone. Arisu couldn't imagine harming a living soul due to the fact she was never subjected to killing when she was younger. How would she be able to be the leader of a clan of assassins? "Mom, could I talk to you about this?" Arisu asked, catching up to her mother, Eren, as she was gathering the last of her things with Oliver.
"What's wrong Arisu?" Eren asked her daughter, "You know this had to happen eventually."
Eren continued trying to go out the door, but Arisu grabbed her hand. "But, Mom, I didn't think you meant like this!" she told her mother, explaining that she wasn't aware of inheriting the entire Chikumo clan to take care of; "I can't kill someone! And I couldn't lead anyone to kill anybody! Can't someone else lead the clan?"
Eren sighed, turned to face her daughter, and took her daughter's hands. "But there's no one to lead the clan but you," Eren told her calmly.
"But my sister-"
"Has left the clan," Eren explained to Arisu, "You know that since she has left, she can no longer come back to inherit the leading place within the clan."
"But it's not fair!" Arisu fought back, "You could still lead, mom! I'm not ready!"
Eren put her hand against her daughter's cheek and stroked it, "You'll be a great leader, my daughter. Change is a part of everything. You won't have to worry about anything. I wasn't going to leave you without help." As Eren said that, Arisu's eyes widened, "You have your friend, Meru, to help you and your cat, Paradox, is a good helper around the house, you know."
Arisu moved away from her mother's hand and looked at the ground. "But I don't want to push any of this on anyone..." she told her mother.
He mother moved back to her. "But you do sweetheart," Eren explained to Arisu. Arisu looked up in a questionable look, not believing what her mom had just said; after all, she wasn't trying to force anything on anyone, was she? "It wouldn't be fair to force your sister back here against her wishes, then pushing a big responsibility on her also is too much stress on one person," Eren continued.
Arisu looked at the ground and sighed sadly, knowing her mother was right. "No... It wouldn't be fair of her to deal with that..." she said, almost quietly.
"I know that you can handle this, Arisu," Eren told her daughter and kissed her on her forehead, "You know that your mother loves you and wouldn't push you into something you wouldn't be ready for."
Arisu smiled and finally looked up at her mother. "I know mom..."
"That's my girl..." Eren said, hugging her, "You're a strong girl and very grown up. I know you can handle this."
"I know I can too," Arisu told her mother, "I'm your daughter after all."
Both smiled at one another and nodded. "Oliver, up into Mandan Mountain," Eren told her spider as she climbed on his back. Eren turned back to her daughter, giving one last smile. "Good Bye, Arisu... You know what you need to do," she said and turned back around for Oliver to scuttle away, climbing up the mountain.
Arisu closed the door behind Eren, put her back against it, and fell to the floor. "But... even with all of that... I'm just not sure I can..." she murmured to herself.
