Zeek was confident, self-satisfied, witty and intimidating. Every word she spoke seemed more important than the last, every quotation homage to some great man or woman, every insult incredible, unredeemable slander. Yet, when she loved she appeared to love fiercely – she clung and petted, and her praise was lent extra weight by its rarity.

"I love your hair," she would croon, nudging Tsunade's possessive hand from

Georgia's 'fro in order to stroke it herself. Assertively she plunged her hand inside – only to recoil immediately.

"But not your pets," she sneered, nose wrinkled in pain and disgust. With a haughty flip of her smooth, dark hair over her shoulder, she stormed away, nursing a miniscule bite wound

"Pudge! Hey!"

"Actually, that one wasn't me."

"Wat?"

Armageddon rained onto Georgia's shoulder, tail curling around her neck for balance, each foot falling subsequently. "I had an impulse."

"To bite Zeek? But Zeek is –"

Georgia observed Zeek, interacting with Sasuke, seemingly operating on a separate plane – one full of intrigue and passion.

"—so cool…"

"I have a feeling. I don't trust her."

Chaines, overhearing, raised an eyebrow at this. Zetsu remained motionless, avoiding eye contact, but spoke.

"Zeek is different." There was no negative or ominous tone here; it was spoken as a fact.

"I disagree with you guys. Zeek is amazing," Georgia gushed, then fought back embarrassment. She had always longed to be friends with someone larger-than-life, the type who usually scared the crap out of her – scared her into the silence that she'd lived all her life in before Shu. She wanted to believe that Shu had opened this door for her, too. Not only could she speak among silly, lovable friends – She could speak among the elite, the debaters, important, interesting people. And she could finally earn their love.

Zeek returned to her, shoved all others aside. Cupped Georgia's face in her rough, well shaped hands and implored her, "Come with me. Talk with me."

Her face bright, Georgia followed, taken literally by the hand. She fed hungrily on Zeek's anecdotes, all the cute little stories Zeek only called cute because they weren't - they were monumental, meaningful and profound. In fact, she fed on Zeek's every word and movement.

In a moment of comfortable, thoughtful silence just after a laughing fit, the lightness cleared from Zeek's cheeks and eyes and with gravity, she told

Georgia, "You're great. I like you," and Georgia's heart melted.

Even with Tsunade, Georgia had never been so smitten.

no

u

It would appear that Georgia wasn't the only one smitten with Zeek. It would also appear that when Zeek was welcomed into Shu with open arms, she was also welcomed with open legs. All of this if the hogiggling-ing emerging from behind a bush was any indication.

Georgia, Tsunade, Sasuke and Chaines were nearby, frozen on the spot. The event in itself wasn't so unusual. It was just that two people were laughing behind a bush and Sai never giggled.

"Are they doing what I think they are?" Armageddon finally asked. Georgia breathed a sigh of relief; for once, she didn't have to be the one asking the stupid, obvious question.

"I think so…" Chaines admitted, seeming to disbelieve herself even as she spoke.

Sasuke harrumphed and left, angered. Chaines blushed, then indicated silently to Georgia they should leave. Tsunade followed, concerned.

Georgia wanted to believe both Zetsu and Zeek were better than that, but the

evidence was right there. How could Zetsu do this to Sai? Where was Sai?

no

u

And then something the fuck else happens, I don't even know. So basically, someone the hell confronts Zeek & Zeek gets pissed. Yeah. I don't give a fuck about figuring out the minute details of this plot right now okay. Did any of you even MEET Zeek?

So in the next part she's gonna be pissed okay.

n o

u

"God, I hate Shu."

Zeek's eyes narrowed, her lip curling.

"Man – Fuck the Shu! Take this!"

And Zeek slapped Chaines across the face.

Georgia gasped, one hand flying to her own face and the other reaching out for

Chaines dramatically. She felt sick, suddenly and completely.

Sai's eyes were narrowed. "Oh, shit," he said, sarcastic, "you're hardcore."

"Calm down, man," Chaines said quietly, palm over her smarting cheek, eyes sad but intense.

Zeek leaned forward and spit into Chaines' face: "Fuck you and your Shu."

Then she ran a distance away from the grouped Shuers, and turned. She shouted

back: "I am a fucktard!" and disappeared in a burst of black smoke.

no

u

As usual, Georgia's reactions were typical and predictable. First, she denied it, believed it to be the very kind of joke Zeek would pull: devastatingly cruel, and once revealed, devastatingly funny. She even tried to laugh about it. When she realized it was true that Zeek had played her, she only felt embarrassed.

"I'm so gullible," she bemoaned to Pudge and Armageddon, who coddled and nibbled her into silence.

Tsunade came to her then, as she always did, comforting her in ways Pudge and Army couldn't. The others gathered and tried, but she sunk under the level of their conversation, into a kind of shame-induced emotional coma. She lost track of her body, her thoughts and feelings. The game Zeek played took a huge toll on her.

But when she woke up, Shu was still there. They moved on.