Authors Notes:

Hello all!

Yes yes, it's been a while since I've updated, but hey, there's Shiznat interaction in this chapter!

I appreciate you all waiting and whanot, I'll be updating SCaAPDT next.

Thanks!

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Chapter 4

_______Natsuki_______

"Ara, so much mayonnaise is bad for you, you know."

The second those words left her lips, I knew something bad was going to happen.

Wincing like a child caught drawing on the living room wall, I turned to face her, well aware of the guilty expression I most likely had on.

Her red eyes lit up: she definitely recognized me. Surprisingly, I did too.

And so I ran.

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The flat bottoms of her purple high-top converse slapped against the wet concrete, sending small splashes of water up from the puddle where they had previously slumbered.

Taking large, at least four steps forward strides ahead; she briskly made her way towards her destination. A face as determined as it gets, she looked straight before her, wanting only to get to the grocery store and go home.

It was 7:30 on this Sunday morning, and the sun was trying to fight itself through the thick sheets of blue we call the sky. A few people in business suits and well pressed skirts clicked their heels along tiles, suit cases and cell phones in hand.

Natsuki rolled her emerald eyes in slight disgust and continued her voyage. Surely there would be no children rampaging down the city streets this weekend. A small smile spread across her perfect face at the thought. Being blessed with anime looks, she was an anime character after all; there wasn't a single fault in her appearance.

Something blue soon distracted her, so she turned to face the window of the building to her left. There, standing before her, was a cardboard cutout figure of herself.

She couldn't help but scowl at it before moving on.

Ah…There it was.

Each digit of her hand moved in a wave like motion as she counted how many jars of the thick condiment she would purchase.

A jingle sounded from a bell hovering above the door as she entered the establishment, her mind still very much preoccupied with mayonnaise. Looking up just once to see which isle it was in, she walked, almost sprinted towards isle 10, trying not to slip on the wet trail her sneakers were leaving behind.

Once she found the selection of mayo, she grabbed one of each brand and managed to fit them all between her arms. Natsuki was about to go off and pay for them, until she was interrupted.

"Ara, so much mayonnaise is bad for you, you know."

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Shizuru had awoken that morning to quite the disturbing sight: she was out of tea. Well, her favorite flavor to be exact. Currently in the kitchen cabinet, there were tea leaves for peppermint tea, earl grey, lemon, orange, apple, apricot, caramel, Ceylon, chia, chamomile, cranberry, Darjeeling, English breakfast, ginger, hibiscus, jasmine, mango, oolong, passion fruit, peach, plum, raspberry, rose hips, spearmint, strawberry, sugar plum, and vanilla. All but one very important flavor: green.

Waking up with quite the foul mood, for she had stayed awake until one that morning, she had the taste for some of her favorite tea. To not see the small plastic bag labeled "GREEN", she was experiencing several mixed emotions that a Fujino should not posses.

For example, anger, confusion, irritation, and some form of a pout, currently flashed across her face.

"No, this will not do at all."

It was currently 7:00 AM. Work starts at 8:00AM, and if she wished to buy her tea and drink it before showing up on time, she had to get dressed and leave immediately.

Today she sported a black pinstripe business skirt and blouse. Purse securely placed in the crook of her elbow, she slipped matching high heels over her foot that was clothed in dark grey stockings. Once that task had been completed, she exited the condo in a rush. Traveling down the small flight of stairs, she approached her black mustang, opened the door, sat in the driver's seat, closed the door behind her, and took off towards the nearest grocery outlet.

Once she arrived, she put on her fake smile, greeted the workers and walked briskly towards isle 9. Shoes clicking the whole trip, she stopped right in front of the boxes. Unfortunately, she would have to make do with tea bags instead of leaves. Sighing in slight defeat, she grabbed a few boxes of Green tea and placed them in the hand held cart she had received on the way in.

Turning to leave the small section, she saw a flash of blue run past her, startling her for a brief second. 'How did…who…'

Curiosity getting the best of her, she followed the mysterious person to the next isle, and her eyes widened at the sight.

'That looks like…'

Standing a few feet in front of her, was an exact replica of the person she stayed up all night observing. She had a rushed expression on her face as she quickly gathered all of the mayonnaise she could without a basket.

'…Just like her too… But… It couldn't be, of course it couldn't.'

Shizuru somehow found herself talking:

"Ara, so much mayonnaise is bad for you, you know."

_______Shizuru__________

Her sudden movement surprised me to say the least. I was going compliment her on her almost perfect cosplay too. Almost perfect. She was not wearing anything remotely close to what Natsuki would wear. She wore ripped jeans and a long sleeve blue and grey shirt that seemed too long for her. It was most likely bought in the men's department.

I would have let her pass if I hadn't realized that she probably was not going to pay for her…supplies. With a run like that, she was surely headed straight for the exit.

A normal thief would have kept their cool until they were out of my sight, not run away with a guilty look.

I couldn't just let a burglar escape when they were so close, now could I?

It was a fortunate coincidence that the cleaning implements were on isle 8. I knew for a fact that I must have looked very silly, and if the paparazzi were here, my picture would be a highlight in the tabloids.

Holding a mop off to the side, I chased after her in a calm manner, makeshift naginata in hand.

Sensing a fight, she spun around on her toes and dug a free hand into her pocket. At that moment, I realized that she had dropped most of the jars during her little marathon.

What she removed from the confounds of her pants surprised me once more. It was a gun. Not a normal gun, but Natsuki Kuga's from Duran. 'My my, she is quite the meticulous cosplayer.'

"Ara, cosplayer-san, I would love to know where you bought that."

'Perhaps on the internet? It would be quite the collector's item. Perhaps I can get my hands on a few figurines and plushies as well…They would be so cute!'

Yes, I had become quite the obsessed fan over night. It's so uncharacteristic of me…

Her face quickly switched from battle hungry to incredulous while I daydreamed.

"COSPLAYER?! You think I'm…"

But she was wrong to think that I wouldn't drop my guard during a fight, much like she had just done.

Seeing the weakness in her defense, I knocked the blue, silver, and gold gun from her grasp with the edge of the mop, aiming the strings of yarn elsewhere.

The blunette growled at me for what I had done, and it was quite the cute sight.

"Never let your guard down during a fight, cosplayer-san."

"I'm tired of this cosplay crap! I'll show you that I am no otaku!"

'Now that I think about it, her voice sounds like her as well…'

And so she fired from another gun she kept hidden in her sleeve.

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A noise that can only be heard in a sci-fi movie or anime sounded throughout the almost empty store.

Shizuru felt a cold chill run up her spine and she looked behind her to see a shelf of bread completely frozen in a thin layer of ice.

"If you think that you can beat me, you must be kidding yourself."

"…Kuga…"

"Huh?"

"Natsuki Kuga…That's who you are. But how?"

"…Shit."

'Ara, what foul language. Never heard her use profanities on the show before…Then again, it is for children…How is she here? How is this possible? More importantly, she looks even more alluring in person…'

"I-it's not what you think I- Say anything, take any pictures, and I'll kill you." With one not to serious glare, she left the store, only three jars hand.

But of course Shizuru couldn't let the newfound object of her affection just waltz on back to…wherever she had originally come from.

When she opened the door once more, Natsuki stood outside, a strange device in hand that looked like it was once wrapped around her wrist. An odd gem stone shone brightly from its center. She was cursing under her breath before she decided to toss the device onto the pavement, it shattering into pieces.

"Why would Natsuki do that, I wonder?"

The anime character tensed up as she heard that voice.

"YOU! STOP FOLLOWING ME!"

She pointed at the brunette fiercely, her teeth gritting together in anger.

"But I want to see…if it's really you." Tracing a lone finger down the blunette's cheek, she smiled sweetly at her, burgundy eyes sparkling playfully.

'That look…' She was pretty on the television screen, but this was something entirely different. It reminded her of one of those flirtatious cat looks Nao would give men off set.

"L-look." Her voice wouldn't cooperate with her fully, causing her to stutter and her blush to darken. "I need to get home."

"Where would that be?"

"Look lady, I can't tell you anything, go it? Don't make me hurt you."

"I highly doubt that Natsuki can hurt me. I am quite skilled…with a mop, if you had yet to notice." The brunette smiled shyly at her statement, but cockiness was evident in her eyes.

"Perhaps I can't, but I know who can. "

"Might I ask who?"

"Duran!"

A thin brow rose at what Natsuki had told her. From what she gathered about the show, summoning Duran would open a vortex of some sort from the sky. If she was trying not to get noticed, that wouldn't help in the least.

"I don't recommend doing such a thing, Natsuki."

"Don't call me by my first name, I don't even know you!"

"But I'm sure you can get to. My name is Shizuru Fujino, and it's a pleasure to meet you."

As she extended her hand out for the blunette, the fictional character found herself contemplating on whether she should accept the greeting.

"…yeah." She couldn't help it. Taking the smooth hand into her own, she felt warmth trail up her arm, making her eyes widen.

"Ara! So I can touch you!"

"What do you mean, it's not like I'm a ghost!"

"But Natsuki came from the TV, did she not?"

With a sigh, Natsuki turned away and shoved her hands in her pocket.

"Got any mayo in your house?"

The question caught Shizuru off guard. Was she asking to stay over for a bit? That would be a dream come true!

"I do."

"Good, let's go then."

Completely forgetting about work, Shizuru led Natsuki to her place, arm around her own.

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Thanks for reading, hope that'll hold ya'll off for a while.

Preview for chapter 5:

"Now you listen here Otaku-"

"Shizuru."

"…Shi…zuru… I'm here for tools, and that's it. I don't want to see you're collectables or pictures of me, got it?"

"I don't own anything of that sort, but if you know where I can find some, do tell me."