Tsubaki

It was a peaceful day in death city as the fall leaves began to fall harmlessly to the slightly crumbling sidewalks. The air held the sweet smells of baked goods being prepared in the local market.

I arrived shortly after talking to Maka on the phone. She was asking if I could pick up a few things from the local market for a little get together this afternoon for a picnic. We are going to be celebrating successfully finishing the extra lessons that death had assigned us. I thought as I moved into my favorite shop that was making fresh bread.

"Welcome to the Bakers Dozen." a booming voice coming from the Cashier as he was wrapping up with a sale "I haven't seen you in ages. Whats the occasion?"

"Oh...just celebrating with my friends." I said while looking over the many different types of bread that this shop was famous for creating "Can I special order today?"

"Sure what will you be wanting us to create for you today?" he said as he grabbed a form that would tell you what you could create and for every thing that wasn't on the list would just cost a little extra.

"I was wondering if you had made any raison bread today?"

He just smiled already kicking himself for not remembering that that was what she ALWAYS comes here for. "Yeah, I made two loaves this morning and someone came in and tried to steal them. I finally got half of the loaf from them and threw 'em out. Tell you what. You buy that first loaf and I'll kick in the other half free."

'This is amazing,' I thought 'I can take one loaf to the picnic and the other home all to myself.' "Yes sir, that would be great."

"Alright, and anything else?" he said while grabbing the bread and wrapping it in some transparent green plastic wrap.

I quickly asked for three other types of bread and paid for everything. "Thank you Mister 'till we meet again." I said while exiting the store.

"Alright" I said in a rather loud tone as I now had a full bag of bread "All I need now is some fruits and veggies!" I practically yelped as the whole street of people turned their attention to me as I pretty much yelled that out. "Sorry" I muttered to no one in particular.

I quickly made my way around the typical market you'd find in any city buying as much healthy fruit as I could, and in the end had a large paper bag full of groceries in each arm. not needing anything else I started moving toward Maka's house because I knew she had more space to store this stuff. I quickly found that I was being followed by something trying to be stealthy. so, I sped up and slowed down continuously trying to see if this person was really following and every time they would match my speed. after laughing at the lack of stealth this person had, I heard them get within ten feet of me before I heard the stranger say anything.

?

"Meooowww, why doesn't this girl stop? I could easily sneak up and take that FFOOOOODDD!" This was muttered a little to loud as the big boobed girl glanced back as if hearing my frustration. "Darn!" I yelped as the big boobed girl stood staring at me. I was wearing my large beige colored hoodie that obscured my face, only exposing my red eyes and a row of sharp teeth that was currently in a frown of utter surprise. My blond hair was woven in two braids that went down to my thighs and my midnight black tail that went to a faded white tip.

"Uh...hello. Umm...are you okAY!" The big boobed girl started as I ran up and tested the softness and texture of her breasts.

"You're just like the Boobie lady!" I exclaimed as I continued prodding and poking at her very large cleavage. It was then that I was very harshly pushed off my feet by a very red faced girl hastily grabbing her bags from where they fell.

"You shouldn't do that in public! It's not very nice," She said as a half loaf of bread rolled half way between us. It was then that I pounced at the bread only for it not to be there a second later.

"Hey!" I said looking at the girl who had the bread in her hand with the two bags in the other. Suddenly feeling small because I hadn't even seen her grab the bread, she was moving so fast; I decided to try a different tactic to get some food from her. "So you're saying that you want go somewhere private, neow." I said with a wide smile that would have made the Cheshire Cat from Alice proud.

The red hue on her face now rivaled that of a tomato "Nonono no no. That wasn't what I meant at all." She said shaking her head furiously allowing me to cut three steps distance from the ten steps between us.

"I was wandering. What did you mean?" As I said this I took four steps forward.

Still shaking her head, slightly slower now, with her eyes still closed she continued, " You can't just go around groping random pedestrians breasts." This statement confused me and made me stop to think.

"You weren't random." I said trying to give a warm smile.

"Re-really. Were you following me!?" She said still flustered from me twisting her statement.

"Of course silly. You are the only one here that buys raisin bread..." I said as the gods had forsaken me by having my stomach growl at that moment. Which gave the atmosphere an amazing awkward silence.

"Umm...D-do you want some. I bought one and got half a loaf free." She said probably seeing how embarrassed I was. "It wouldn't be any trouble. Here take it. It sounds like you need it."

'Why would she do this for you?' I thought feeling my face heat up. 'Since I got here no one paid me any attention and wouldn't even let me buy food from anywhere. No one even gave me a second glance except to throw me out of a store when I was stealing foo-.'

"Hello...are you okay there. Your spaced out petty far." She interrupted my inner monologue by putting the half loaf in my hands causing my face to light up. Starring at the bread in my hands, I was speechless.

"Why," I finally croaked "why are you giving this to me neow?"

She started to laugh, "What do you mean? You look and sound as if you have fallen on some bad days. I would feel terrible if I just left you here with nothing. BUT! You owe me a favor."

I did not like the sound of that at all. "And what," I said gaining a scowl on my face "would this favor be exactly?"

"Oh that is an easy one. What I would like you to do is," she said moving significantly closer making me feel a little uncomfortable until her lips were inches from my ears "for you to allow me your name." She backed up about two feet snickering as she did to me what I had done to her. I am sure that if I could see my face about now it would have been beet red at how the question was given.

"M-m-m-my n-n-name?" I stuttered trying and failing to shy away from one of the first to have ever given me the time of day in this city and genuinely sounded like she cared.

"Yes, I would like to know your name. Is it really so much to ask?" she asked in a singsong voice. "I-if you wouldn't mind that is." suddenly losing the edge and becoming very timid.

"Oh I w-wouldn't mind. My name is Tao...Taokaka. A-and if you wouldn't mind yourself could I have your name, please." I started to feel like I had over stepped myself when she murmured something that I could barely hear. "I apologize but I couldn't hear you." she looked around as if looking for something or someone.

I guess she had her moment because she quickly pulled my head in close and spoke into my ear again and said "It's Tsubaki...Tsubaki Nakatsukasa." I took advantage of this and moved my arms around to give her a hug without destroying the bags she was still holding. When she found that she was being hugged she didn't look like she knew what to do, but she settled for being hugged.

"Could I ask you something that I have been trying to figure out since I got here a couple of weeks ago?" I asked as I let her collect herself.

"Sure what do you need to know?" she said still seeming timid from the hug.

"Could you tell me where I can find the Death Weapon Meister Academy?"