Heres another Chapter of What's Next.

Enjoy.


What I saw was not what I had in mind for today.

There was a long line outside the store.

Wow!

All these men for Icha Icha Paradise.

I thought it was going to be a popular book but I didn't think it was this well known.

Indeed, all these man were for Icha Icha Paradise.

Majority of them were just standing up against the building talking.

The rest were napping on the ground.

Some faces I remembered because they were my regular customers.

I think I should creep around back so none of them will see me.

All of a sudden there was someone shouting from the line.

I didn't even put that plan to action because I paused to figure out what the commotion was about.

There was yelling and than...

" There she is, get her!" the leader shouted.

I turn around my head to see who they were talking about and saw a mob of grown men run after me.

" AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Holy Shit!"

I ran to the back for safety.

What the hell is going?

I bet this was Keiko's idea!

What did I do to deserve this?

While running and panicking, I planned how I was going to get rid of the Icha Icha Paradise fans.

Ok so if I go around the block, I can lose them in the dirt alley way, and than jump over those fences to make back to the safe house.

Ya, that's it!... or not.

I just decided to run because they were coming at me at different angles.

" Get the key!" said the leader of the cult.

The key!?

What key?

Oh...that key.

I realized they were talking about the shop key.

They would want the shop key to get to the books.

With the amount of time they have been spending out here waiting, I would be repressing certain emotions too.

I toke a back road which made me lose them.

Thank God for Gai's training or else I would be crawling for coverage.

I was never the best runner in gym at school nor was it my favorite subject.

Luckily I made it to a secluded end which happened to be the back of the a grocery store.

I was catching my breathe when I heard a the trash can move.

Must be a cat or Oscar the grouch from sesame street.

It could happen.

I'm in a anime world.

Anything is possible at this point.

Well, maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit.

I was a tad spooked when the trash can started to talk.

Maybe it is Oscar.

"Michiko!" it said.

How does he know my name?

Wait a tick, that sounds like Keiko.

" Keiko?" I asked with disbelief.

" Jya. How did you think it is?"

" A green fuzzy monster who lives in a trash can and has a pet worm."

" Funny." She said with sarcasm.

She fully stepped out of the trash can and was covered with greenery and leaves.

On top of her head was...Momo kitty.

" What's with Momo kitty?"

" She had to come. I couldn't leave Princess Momo alone. Isn't that right kitty, kitty." she said and held her cat in her arms to pet her.

" Meow"

God that sickens me.

" I thought it was Momo kitty?"

" Her full name is Princess Momo kitty."

As Keiko continued to smoother her cat, I was coming up with plans on how to get to the shop.

" Why are you hiding in a trash can?"

" Same reason why you are running and I lose my key."

" How did you do that?"

" Momo kitty ate it."

Right

" Sure, blame it on the cat."

" It's Princess Momo kitty!" she corrected me.

Ignoring her and paying attention to the problem at hand, I realized I didn't have any plans.

I was out of ideas.

" Do you have anything?" I asked her.

" I'm dry like the desert."

What can I do?

" No way, Takahashi is more powerful than Minoru. Dude he controls fire!" said a boy.

" But Minoru can manipulate time. Without time, there would be no fire." said another.

I looked over to see two teenage boys dressed liked they worked in the grocery store we were hiding behind.

One had blond hair who was a bit round and the other reminded me of broccoli(he had green hair).

They were arguing about some comic book characters by what they were mentioning.

" Do you know what I'm thinking?" I asked Keiko.

" Ya the blond has horrible acne and needs to lose weight."

" Not that!"

" Than what?"

" We hijack their clothes and disguise ourselves to make it back to the store." I said.

" I get ya."

" So how are we going to do that?" She said while stroking her Russian blue cat.

Good point.

" May I please hold Princess Momo kitty?"

" Why?"

Come on! Come on! Come on!

" I thought you would be kind enough to let me hold her. Besides your arms look tired."

Score, she has to believe that!

She can be credulous at times.

" Okay but since you said please." with that she handed me her beloved cat.

I held the cat for a couple of minutes and than I walked up to the young men.

" Oye"

They turned my way.

I choose the one with the green hair because I always wanted green hair.

As soon as I made eye contact with him, I threw the cat at his face.

"MMMMMMMEEEEEOooooWWWWWW!" SMACK!

" PRINCESS MOMO KITTY!" yelled Keiko with anime tears running down her face.

" Dude GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! IT"S PULLING OUT MY EYES!"

" You get the butterball and I'll take care of the jolly green giant." I told her.

" B..but.. Prince..."

" She's a cat!"

I ran to take down my target and headed him in the stomach, which forced him to be pushed up against the wall.

At that, Momo kitty jumped off his face and ran.

I got him to the ground and than straddle his hips to strip the clothes off of him.

" Help! Help! Rape! Rape!" he shouted.

" I'm going to rape you, I just want your clothes."

He still didn't shut up and continued to move, so I knocked him on the head.

He was out cold and had deep gashes on his face from the cat which caused me to wince.

Keiko was having some difficulties from the sounds she and the blond were making.

While I was taking off his clothes and turned to see how she was doing.

She was on the blonde's back apparently trying to choke him.

I quickly grabbed my victims clothing and ran to change.

" Michiko! MIII help! Don't leave me." I heard Keiko cry.

I quickly put on my costume over my original clothes because ... I was in a hurry and you don't know where those clothes have been.

" Michiko!" Keiko screamed again.

She was now being squished.

I ran over and kicked the poor boy in his family coin purse.

" Sorry but we are in a hurry." I said.

Next I knocked him over the head just like his friend.

I had a touch of guilt for ransacking their clothes.

Both him and Keiko melted down to the ground.

" That hurt ya know?!" Keiko shouted while getting up and holding her face.

" Sorry I didn't mean that."

" Sure ya did! By the way where did you learn how to punch?" she asked while ripping off the clothes.

" From a friend."

" Should we just leave them here almost naked?" I said.

" Na, boys will be boys. Besides, now they have something to talk about other than comic books."

" If you say so."

She, like me, put the clothes over the ones she was wearing.

" Problem." she told me.

" What?" I said back with annoyance.

" The clothes are way too big."

" So."

" So? I'll look weird and gain attention."

" Well...stuff your clothes."

" With what?"

" That's not my problem."

" Michiko please help me." she whined and began to pout and stomp her feet on the ground.

Honestly for a woman her age she still acts like a child.

" What about that trash can with the leaves you were hiding in?"

" Help me stuff." she said and ran toward the garbage with leaves.


"How are ya holding up?" we where half way to the store.

" I think I'm losing some leaves."

" That's good because we'll need to run quickly to the shop as soon as we pass the dango stand." I said.

There was still the anger crowd of men surrounding the shop.

I can't believe they are this desperate for the book.

Is it that great?

" Oye, Michiko." Keiko said while now throwing leaves out her pants.

" Ya"

" How are we going to get to the back. They have the building blocked off."

We walked again toward a quiet area that would give us privacy.

" Let's brainstorm first."

" Start"

" The building is heavily guarded." I said.

" There is only one key." Keiko stated.

" And it's to the back door."

" You get in through the opening on top of the roof."

" What?" I said.

" Yep."

" What else are you keeping from?" I demanded.

" I was an ANBU member and got pregnant from my captain who later became my husband."

" That's not what I meant but alright." I said.

That's something you don't tell everyday.

" So you know how to jump on rooftops?"

If she does than she can get in the building.

" Ya but I'm a tiny bit rusty. It's been over 8 years since I've done a mission."

" How do you jump?"

" You need to send wave of chakra down to your feet and once it is near your ankle you jump."

" That simple?"

" Pretty much."

" Are you good at running?"

" Ya."

" Okay here's the plan." I said and lean into her ear.


After jumping over some fences and hiding behind more buildings, I was near my target area.

Keiko was wrong about jumping on rooftops.

It was intense and meticulous.

You had to send your chakra at a certain time or else you wouldn't jump at all.

About my third time, I got it down.

Now I was on top of the building next door looking down for Keiko and watching the men at the shop.

Where is Keiko?

She should be here by now?

The plan was she would be chase around by the Icha Icha fans while I would go on the roof and enter the shop from the back.

She didn't feel up to getting back into " Ninja mode" but preferred to run.

The men were now facing toward the direction that Keiko should be coming in.

I look to see Keiko standing in the middle of the road brandishing the key at them.

" She has the key, get her!"

They without being told ran after her.

And she moved out like the Road Runner being hunted by Wile E. Coyote.

As all the left to follow her, I made my way to the shop by jumping across the street and landing on the roof of the bookstore.

I jumped down to the back side of the store and tried opened the door, and did?

I walked in with my guard up.

That's strange, the books are on the back wall.

The books were already on the shelves in the adult section (aka: behind the pink curtain).

The receipt for the order was on the register counter.

I walked over to look at the copy of the shipment.

" SURPRISE!" a familiar voice yelled with a book in her hand.

" How in the seven hells did you get in?!" I said with incredulity and fell to the ground.

" I'm a former ninja." Keiko stated.

" So that was a ...

" Yep! A shadow clone!" She gave me a Cheshire the Cat grin.

" Why did you do this?" I screamed at her.

" I didn't want to have all of them coming in the store at once and I didn't like them circling my store. Plus I was bored."

" But why me?"

" I thought you wouldn't mind. Oh and by the way, can you finish unpacking the order." She said and went to back to her book.

I picked myself up and walked to the sock room with my fist shaking.

Once I got there I closed the door oh so softly.

I leaned again the door and

" AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" My hands were trying to yank out my hair.

That bitch, she uses me!

She has no heart!

I take so much shit from her. Grrrrrr.

I should have killed that cat when she was on vacation!

" Michiko-san we have customers!" Keiko yelled in a singsong voice.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

I hate my life.

I sluggishly walked out the door to the main counter.

There was 15 people in the line that reached the cash register.

I walked over and greeted the man with a fake smile.

" Is that all for you today Sir?"


Only 15 minutes and than I could lock up and leave.

I didn't have any headaches today which wasn't right.

With that torture scene this morning, I was waiting for a big one.

There was only two people left in the store with me.

Keiko went home two hours ago leaving me again with work.

She said she had to go make dinner for the family.

I knew she wanted to leave and go home to read because I know Keiko doesn't cook.

Her kids told me their Dad cooks for them because when their mom cooks, they feel sick the next day.

It was a long day and I was feeling the results.

I felt like sleeping at the front desk and screw walking to the tea shop.

But I couldn't.

I had dinner plans.

It was mine and Gai's traditional Friday night dinner.

We would meet at the tea shop and than head on to a restaurant or his or my place.

We would switch every week who picks dinner.

It was Gai's turn this week.

If things were to be the same on Gai's turn tonight, I would be eating at his place.

Once I get to his place, I'm violating his couch for a good nap.

Being pulled out of my thoughts, one of the guys was at the counter ready to check out.

" Hello, how as your night been?" I said playing the good employee.

" Fine." said the old man.

" Your total is 970 yen."

He paid me and got his change back.

" Here you go, have a nice night."

He left the store.

Now I had one more customer so I began to close.

I toke off my glasses because I still haven't adjusted to the feeling yet and cautiously walked around the store closing the windows and blinds.

It was now closing time and that customer was still here.

I was done with my closing routine and back at the counter.

" Sir we are closing so would you please bring your books to the register to check out." I yelled out so he could hear.

Not long a figure ( note:I don't have my glasses on) came up to the counter.

" Do you have an order for Icha Icha Paradise under Kakashi Hatake."

I was a good thing I didn't see him or else I would be advertising the color red on my face.

The sound of his voice made me want to melt.

My legs wanted to be jell-o but I locked them to avoid that.

" Aaa ya, let me check." I yawn it out.

He trailed me to the stock room where a copy of Icha Icha Paradise would be at.

As I was looking for a copy, I heard the door shut and was thrown to the wall.

He held my wrists over my head.

He was now hovering over me and had that coal eye looking at me.

Next I felt his lips touch mine with a gentle force.

I could feel his real lips because his mask was down.

His hands slid to my neck to be pushed against him and I weaved my hands threw his gray locks.

A/N:JOKING

He waited outside the room for me.

I found it and walked to the front.

Or so I thought... instead I walked into a bookshelf and landed on the floor.

" You okay?" I heard him ask above me.

" Ya I'll be fine."

He stuck a hand out to help me but I didn't see it.

I got up by myself and tried to make it to the front.

" Can you see alright?" he asked me.

" I thought I could see fine because I did when I was closing the blinds but I guess not." I told the truth.

Do I really need glasses that bad?

I never had this problem.

" Here let me show you to the front." he grabbed my hand and lead me to the front.

Hopefully he didn't have eyes in the back of his head or he would have seen my glowing smile.

I got around to the register to ring him up.

" You should go to an eye doctor to get your eyes checked out." he said to me with a shade of concern.

" I just got glasses but I'm having some time adjusting to the feeling." I said and toke the money he handed me.

I was about to bag his book when

" I can just take it."

I handed him his book with the receipt.

" Thank you, have a goodnight." I said to him.

" You too." and left the store.

I went under the counter to put on my glasses and let out a girlish squeal.

This job is totally worth it.

Turning off all the lights and grabbing my belongings I head out the door to the tea shop.


As I got near the tea house, I notice Gai was waiting outside looking for me.

His eyes spotted me, he yelled " OYE! Mi-chan!" and waved his hand.

Even with my glasses on, he thought I couldn't see him.

" Hey Gai." I said with a smile.

I was more happier now that I saw Kakashi again.

" What are you going to cook tonight?" I asked.

" I thought it was your turn?"

" I remembered it was your night to pick dinner."

We walked wherever our feet lead us into the mass of civilians.

" Let's go get Kare raisu." he said and lead the way.

Gai loved Kare raisu or curry and rice.

Every other Friday I would eat kare raisu or spicy food because Gai would cook it.

We got settled down in our table and ordered our food.

" So how's your week been?" I started the conversation.

" Fulfilled now that I get to see your lovely face." he said while taking both of my hands.

This how it was every time we would go out.

He would try to display us as a couple.

If a guy looked at me, he would act up and threaten him.

It was useless to tell him that we're just friends.

Either he was ignoring me when I talked about the subject or he was brainwashed on having a his mind set to make me his girl.

Whatever the case was, I learn to handle it my own ways.

I outwardly sighed and retrieve my hands from his callous ones.

" No seriously, how was your week?" I asked again and taking a sip of my tea.

" Very long, I was given more missions than usual."

" Where did you go?"

" The Grass Country."

" What was it like there?"

" Same as here."

We ate our dinner and continued to talk until Gai was acting funny.

" Michiko there something I need to ask you for?" he said with a blush adorn on his face.

This can't be good.

" What is it?"

" You are the only woman who has been able to tolerate me besides my mom. You treated me like most have not: a person, a friend, and a close companion."

Oh crud, I think I know what he going to say.

I don't have the backbone to hurt him nor give him the wrong impression.

" Mi-chan, I mean Yoshida Michiko will you do me the horn of..."

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Don't say it Gai!


AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA- evil laugh

I strike again. Though most of you think that Gai is going to pop the question but you never know?

I love the power of being able to manipulate the story.

This chapter didn't turn out as bad as I thought.

Hope you agree too.

- Ocellus