Art Store Angel
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Konan's alarm clock blared. Konan rolled over and angrily pressed the button to stop the annoying beeping. It was six o'clock in the morning. Konan could her grandma getting up in the next room over.
"Dammit Konan! Why the hell do you get up this early in the morning? School doesn't start until eight!!!"
Konan simply sighed and rolled out of bed, walked over to her desk and pulled on her plain bell bottom jeans and a 'shirt dress' as they were called now. It was all black and had a slight ruffle at the bottom.
The still-groggy girl walked into her bathroom. She grabbed her favorite light blue, gel brush and with a few swipes had her un-neat, bed-head hair straight. Konan dug around in one of the drawers under the mirror and pulled out a clear rubber band. After sweeping her hair into its customary bun, Konan heard her grandmother yell something about girls showing too much skin or something. She was probably watching music videos again.
After digging through another drawer, Konan put on some very light purple lipstick and exited the bathroom. She walked down the steps and saw that she was right about her grandmother watching music videos. On the stove there was a pan with a couple pieces of bacon and a pile of toast. Konan grabbed five pieces of bacon and two pieces of bread and set out into the cool morning.
It was completely dark outside and nobody else was walking down the sidewalk besides Konan. Nobody would be walking down the middle class street until at least seven-thirty. The town was split completely into three sections, the ghetto, middle class, and the rich.
The ghetto were all of the gangs hung out, there was one huge gang who was said to live in the huge paper factory in the center of the ghetto.
The middle class was pretty much the in-between people. This was the only section of the city that had decent sized houses, apartments, and a park that was somewhat clean.
The rich section, it had every snobby, fruity, and gosh-awful person you could imagine. Of course, it was where Samantha lived with her parents in their big three-story house with enough sheds to house the army. It had three parks, every house had at least two stories, most had pools, there was a garbage truck that came around twice a day, and everyone had maids. Konan hated the people who acted like their crap didn't stink and didn't have to work for anything. They hired the poor people who had nothing and weren't anything to do their work and then underpaid them.
Konan sighed and thought grudgingly how she had to go back to work after school. School ended at two-twenty and she had to be at work at three. It was only a twenty minute walk so that gave Konan twenty minutes to do whatever. She usually stopped at a bench on her way to art store and made a list of the things she would need either from the art store or the grocery store.
The store gates came into view and Konan sighed. Checking her watch, she saw that it was seven-thirty. Perfect. Thirty minutes to do her art homework. She pushed open the double blue doors and walked up the steps to her locker. Since Konan didn't take anything home with her, she only grabbed her art supplies and notebooks. Art class, which was homeroom, was right next to the section of lockers Konan's locker was in so homeroom wasn't far.
There wasn't anyone else in the college style classroom. Konan sat at the very back row as close to the wall as she could. The whole room was white and windowless; there wasn't even a chalkboard, just a whiteboard. Konan hated the room.
She pulled out her colored pencils and a piece of printing paper. Konan decided to draw a picture of a phoenix rising out of flames during the night with its wings spread wide.
Just as the bell to start school rung she finished her drawing. It wasn't a very original idea, but the picture was beautiful. It full color, not a speck of white anywhere. There was a full moon behind the phoenix as it rose from a spiral of orange and ruby flames. Konan had to admit, she did a pretty good job for only thirty minutes.
The morning announcements came and went. First through fourth period were boring and went the same as always, then the bell rung signaling the end of fourth period. Konan shot up and practically ran out of algebra towards the cafeteria. Algebra was NOT a fun subject.
In the cafeteria they were serving spaghetti which looked like barf with noodles in it. Konan grabbed a ham wrap, paid for it, and sat down at a table near a window looking over the front of the school. As she idly ate her sandwich she saw something that one who lived in the middle class portion of town didn't usually see.
There was a group of guys gathered around a tree, all dressed in black cloaks with red clouds. They all looked very shifty. Konan's eyes widened as she recognized the two from the art shop yesterday. She couldn't tell what they were doing. They seemed to just be standing there. Suddenly, the blonde one looked up and saw her. He smiled a sick smile and waved.
Konan shot up and ran. She had her ham wrap in one hand and her carton of milk in the other. She burst through the cafeteria doors and stood against the wall panting. Gangs scared her, especially one as large as that one. The blonde had a sick smile and since he waved, that meant he had plans for her. Gangs that had plans for people usually didn't have a tea and crumpets kind of plan in store for them.
Konan sighed and finished her lunch, crushing the milk carton and throwing it into the nearest trash can. After all, if she got too worked up she wouldn't be able to do anything. She went to her locker, got her things, and went to her next class which was history.
There wasn't anyone in the classroom since it didn't end for another twenty-five minutes. Konan sat in the back row again and started to think about what she should do.
They probably knew what time school ended, yet there were three bells and they didn't know what bell she left on. If they had plans, they would probably stand there until she came out though. Since there were so many of them, they might be able to catch her. The blonde haired one and his friend knew where she worked and she couldn't skip work. Today there would only be her, Samantha, Mike, another clerk named Patsy, and the owner of the store Owen. There weren't enough people there to help her take down a gang. The art store was her safest bet since she could always hide amongst the racks of cloth. Besides, there was a phone in the store so they could call the police.
So Konan made her plan. As soon as the bell rung she would mingle into the crowd of people leaving school and as soon as she got to the front of the school she would veer off to the right towards the art shop. Since the gang had been standing to the left of the front of the school there was a good chance they wouldn't see her nor be able to get to her through the parking lot.
History came and went and so did the last two periods of the day. Konan sat anxiously in her seat waiting for the bell to ring. Finally it did. Instead of sprinting out as usual she slowly walked within the crowd. Finally, after like what seemed like forever they cleared the doors. Konan shot over to the right breaking through the crowd of people, earning several angry shouts. She ran as fast as she could through the streets she knew so well. Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps behind her appeared. She looked over her shoulder and saw a tall, blue man, with a huge sword almost caught up with her. Konan saw the blonde not far behind.
Konan realized she was in the park. Perfect. One of her relatives owned a chili stand that they had been trying to get destroyed so they could get insurance money out of it or something. Konan didn't know and didn't care. She saw the chili stand over to the left. She sprinted over to it and jumped over it and tipped it over, shattering quite a lot of the stand. Hot, freshly made chili spilled everywhere. Her pursuer screamed as the glass flew up and hit him and the scalding hot chili burnt him.
Konan's relative yelled after her as she ran," Thanks Konan Hun! Finally I can get rid of this damn stand and get insurance money!"
After turning a few more corners Konan saw her blonde pursuer still behind her. He was smiling. Maybe he had some of his goons waiting somewhere to ambush her? Konan wasn't going to let those dirt bags catch her.
She turned to the right, not the way to the art store. Konan knew this went further into the ghetto. Now, to most people that would seem pretty stupid, but since the gang was expecting her to go to the art store, this would seem pretty smart.
Konan looked over her shoulder and….WHAM!
"DAMN!" yelled Konan.
Two strong arms wrapped around her and held her still. They turned her around so her arms were behind her back and she was facing the direction she had just come from. The blonde walked around the corner panting heavily and looking severely pissed. Konan looked over her shoulder and saw a huge figure whose face was painted half in white and half in black. His head was in the huge open jaws of a Venus flytrap.
"Why did you run, un? We just wanted to talk. I have to give you credit, you ran pretty damn fast. What you did to Kisame was pretty funny too. He had some major burns on his hands, face, and arms. It serves him right too, un."
Konan would've kicked the blonde's ass if the Venus flytrap wasn't holding her.
"What the hell do you want with me?"
"We just want to set you up with our leader. He needs a girlfriend and you look perfect for him. We weren't going to hurt you, but you took off running, un."
"Why do you think I would want to date someone who was the leader of a band of heathens like you? Besides, I already have a boyfriend."
"We know you don't have a boyfriend. One of our 'sources' in your school told us so."
Konan's eyes narrowed angrily. She thought about using her jutsu, but in the town she lived in, shinobi were looked down upon and if anyone was watching they would know. If they had guts, they would turn her into the police. They would find some way to arrest her, more than likely for something she didn't do. Her grandmother would kick her out. Konan didn't have enough money to buy a house yet so she would have nowhere to go. She didn't have any friends she could stay with. There was a possibility she might even get fired from the art store, though this was unlikely. Konan suspected Mike was a chunin so he wouldn't fire her, and Owen knew she was a well behaved girl who wouldn't break the law, shinobi or not. Besides, Owen understood how much discrimination shinobi in the town faced.
That's why Konan had cried when she was taken from her hometown. Unbeknownst to her grandmother, under a sanin from another village she had been trained as a shinobi using the art of origami. Konan hadn't practiced her jutsu in quite a while other than occasionally throwing paper shuriken or kunai in the woods, just out of boredom.
"So, what's your leader like?"asked Konan, an idea in mind.
The blonde started to speak. After a moment or two of the blonde rambling on and on Konan stuck her long out as far as it would go and brought it back and up as far as she could.
"Oooooo." Said the guy holding her. He quickly let go of her and Konan took off running to the right back towards the art store. The blonde had his back to her when she kicked the guy so he didn't know until she was halfway down another alleyway.
This time, she made it to the art store. She burst through the door. Mike, Owen, Patsy, and Samantha were sitting near one of the check-out lines talking.
"Konan, what's wrong?" asked Owen walking towards her.
"Gang…ambushed….alleyway….leader….black cloaks…." Panted Konan.
"Konan calm down." Owen guided her to her desk and sat her down so she could catch her breath.
Mike looked out the door and saw the blonde running towards the store. He recognized the cloaks and pulled out a pistol from under the counter. He pointed it at the blonde as he ran towards the store. He saw it and slowly backed away, putting his hands up. Mike didn't put the gun away until he was sure the blonde was gone.
"Owen, that guy was from the Akatsuki. I don't know what they want from Konan, but it can't be good."
Samantha was practically hovering over Konan, wanting to know why a gang was after her. Maybe, this would be her chance to finally get her biggest rival out of a job!
Just then, a group of five old women came in.
"Samantha, go help those women while we tend to Konan."
Samantha exploded with anger inwardly at hearing this, but did as Owen told her.
After Samantha was quite a distance away Owen whispered quietly," What happened Konan?"
Patsy was a medical ninja and checked Konan over while they talked to make sure she was OK.
Konan recounted the events from yesterday when she had first seen the blonde and his partner. Mike and Owen both knew Konan was in great danger. The Akatsuki were the kings of all of the people and gangs in the ghetto. Their leader had a famous reputation as a murder and major drug dealer. Mike and Owen told Konan they wouldn't let the Akatsuki get her, no matter what their intentions were.
They told her from now on one of them would always be at work with her. They also told her either one of them or one of their trusted friends would walk her home. Mike also showed Konan how to load and fire the pistol.
Since Konan seemed pretty shaken up and tired Owen gave her the day off and walked her home. This pissed Samantha off since whenever she got a cold unless she was so sick she couldn't get out of bed or was coughing and sneezing her brains out she didn't get any time off. Of course, Samantha never got anything like this. The worst she ever got was a sniffle here and there. Owen and Mike both knew Samantha made everything seem worse than it actually was so that's why she never got time off.
They didn't mind giving Konan time off since she was always there. Konan never took holidays off, she never took weekends off and she was never sick.
Konan got home and was thankful she didn't have any homework. Her clock said four thirty. Dinner would be done in an hour so Konan decided to sleep.
"Damn Deidara! That girl sure can run and sure is smart."
"And she has a mean kick. I'm going to have a huge bruise for a while."
"Exactly. That's why she's perfect for leader-sama, un! She's smart and quick on her feet, literally. She didn't let us catch her without a fight and without serious injuries."
"I followed her home; the guy you said who pointed the gun at you was walking her home. They're probably going to do that every evening from now on so it's going to be hard to set her and leader-sama up."
"Hmmmm, then perhaps we'll have them set themselves up, un."
Kisame and Zetsu raised their eyebrows, wondering how in the world Deidara's crazy plan was going to operate and pan out.