Chapter 34: A New Reaction

"So which way to a good weapons shop?" Mika had been wandering around Konoha aimlessly with Kakashi. He just stared at her for a moment.

"Are you seriously saying that we've been walking around, and you don't know where we're headed?"

"Uh, yea. Helloooo! Haven't lived here in fifteen years!", she pointed to herself. "Things change, besides, I never bought my own weapons while I did live here. Ani-sama always bought 'em for me. I've never stepped foot in a weapons shop." She gave a sweet smile, meant to reflect a truly innocent aspect of her life.

"Seriously?"

"Yea."

"But seriously?"

"…..yea."

"You're not kidding?"

"No, I am not kidding. Do you think I like being lost, wandering around aimlessly, surrounded by people that I don't particularly like?; you excluded of course." Mika answered in a completely sincere manner, not at all irritated with his questioning.

He tilted his head to the side, "…really?"

"…" Then it hit her. "…bastard. You've been messing with me haven't you!?!"

"Just a little bit.", he walked forward to her, grabbing her by the waist and leading her further down the street. "But you were headed in the right direction, provided you took a lot of detours, but in the right direction."

"Hn.", she pouted, but didn't respond otherwise.

"So what exactly do you need a 'sword handle' for?"

Mika took a deep breath. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Nice sarcastic sentiment.

"Aww…come on. You can tell me…and not kill me.", Kakashi shook her a little bit.

"…fine. Here's a hint; since you're such a genius I'm not going to flat out tell you. Remember when I made those kunai come out of the ground?"

"Yes."

"Well, there you go. That's your hint." The pair of them walked up to a shop with a large, obvious sign that let you know it was a weapon shop. "This it?"

"…yea.", he was thinking about her hint as they walked inside. "So, you don't need a blade, because you're going to make you own?"

Well, golly gee whiz, no point in hiding it now, eh? Hn. Yea, whatever. "Yup." Mika turned to the shop clerk and asked if he had any replacement handles. He nodded and went to the back storage to get her one. She turned back to face Kakashi, mimicking his lazy expression.

"You shouldn't do that.", he glared at her.

"Why not?"

"Because your face will stay that way."

"Is that your excuse?" Burn!

"I look cool, you just look hung-over."

"…Did I tell you what a wonderful boyfriend you are, today?"

He smiled under his mask and shook his head. "Honesty is the foundation of any good relationship. And no, you didn't."

The concept ran laps throughout her mind. Shit…Soon, I'll tell him soon. I swear I will. I promised Watari.

Oh yea, cause birds are super intelligent and you should totally take advice from them.

Ravens are the most intelligent of all birds, even smarter than parrots; it's a scientific fact. "Well, you are.", she mumbled.

The clerk returned with a simple black handle. "There you are ma'am. Are you sure you wouldn't like an entire sword?"

"Yes, I'm sure thank you.", she replied in a bright and friendly tone, paying the man.

"Hey, I was thinking that we should do something tonight." Kakashi was just walking next to her, face stuck down in his book.

"Like what?", she absently replied, her eyes and hands glued to the handle she just bought.

"A few drinks, maybe meet up with a few friends. Nothing too stressful or anything."

"Hmm…. Yea, I like the sound of that." Mika flipped the handle in her hands a few times, testing the balance of it. "What time?"

"Uhhh…." …..what time indeed? I'm always late anyway.

A noisy little kid in a flat brown messengers hat came running and shouting up to Mika. "Excuse me ma'am. Are you Ms. Yoshida?"

"Uh, yea. Can I help you?", she bent down to his level.

"You're late with your latest installment and the boss is pissed!", the little boy shouted in her face.

Slowly standing up she calmly replied, "Ah, I see. Well, you must be new to the publishing firm. I've never seen your ugly mug before." Turning to Kakashi, "You know what, I gotta take care of this. You just come by my place whenever and we'll go out then, kay?"

"Whenever works out just fine with me." His eye squinted with a smile.

"Bye.", she hugged him and then roughly grabbed the kid by his collar, dragging him off. "O.k. since you're new, I'll forgive your little 'indiscretion' back there. But let's get something straight here, I'm the talent. That means I'm better than you, and you should be respectful to me. You hear me, you little brat?" Mika's voice faded as she walked down the street toward her apartment.

-Hours later-

The sun had set but there was still a glow of light all around the village. Mika dozed peacefully on the couch in her living room; a book on proper genjutsu techniques resting open across her face, effectively blocking out the fading sunlight, and her left arm under a pillow supporting her head.

Hn, nose always stuck in a book… Better wake her up gently now. Kakashi very gingerly picked the book off of her face and set it slowly on the floor beside him, after examining its contents. Genjutsu? That never was your strong suit. Were you learning something new or are you just toying with me while you sleep? The soft sound of the book touching the floor roused her.

With her eyes still shut, "…you do know that I could have killed you just now, right?"

"With what?" She got an innocent reply.

"With this!" Mika whipped her left arm out from under her head. What the….? Her hand was empty.

"Oh, you mean this?" Kakashi pulled a small crystal kunai out from behind his back.

She stared at him with slanted eyes and a slack jaw. "…oh, you're good.", she smirked.

"Yup." His eyes squinted in a smile. "You ready to go?"

"Mmmmm…..", she looked down at herself. Still dressed in her shorts, tank top, and shirt, she replied, "…yes. Just let me brush my hair right quick." She got up off the couch and walked to the bathroom.

"What? No dress this time?", he shouted after the barely awake girl.

"Huh?", she stuck her head out of the bathroom, still combing her hair.

"Well, you dressed up all fancy for Naruto the other night."

"I swear….", Mika shook her head side to side. "Naruto complains about you, you complain about him; just to make things absolutely perfect, the next thing I know Jiraiya's gonna be upset that I'm not paying enough attention to him."

Kakashi just laughed as he walked toward the front door to wait for her. Thirty seconds later, she joined him.

"Well, that certainly took you long enough." He opened the door and started to lead the way out.

Oh, you have got to be kidding me… Mika locked the door behind her and took a few seconds to obviously stare at his own peculiar hair style. "Somehow I think you take longer than me." She lowered her eyes to meet his.

He again laughed and continued down the stairs.

The two of them walked in one of those comfortable silences. It was probably one of the top three reasons they liked each other so much. Being able to walk in complete silence and not get that awful, awkward feeling in the pit of your stomach. Mika was in yet another part of town that she didn't recognize. All of the different sights eventually led to her walking backwards so that she could take all of it in.

"Careful, you don't want to fall down.", Kakashi warned her, not looking up from his book.

"….that's why you're here.", she absently replied. New things sparked her curiosity easily, so it was difficult to look away.

"We're just about--", he cut himself off at the sight of a certain person. It's o.k., things change. I'm sure this isn't going to be a problem.

"What is it?", Mika swiveled around on her heel to come face to face with a woman. ….son of a bitch. Well this sucks.

"Heh, so it's not just a rumor. You really are back from the dead. And trouncing around town with Kakashi no less.", the woman spat.

Ignoring the second half of the woman's statement Mika replied, "Technically, I was never dead so I couldn't have come 'back' from that state of being."

Shit, I shouldn't have said that. It's just gonna piss her off. Damn my innate sarcasm.

Go ahead, take her out. I got your back!

"Hello.", Mika cheerfully greeted the handful of men standing behind her. All of them acknowledged the greeting and replied in some way. They apparently had no qualms with her.

"Hey!", the woman pushed Mika's shoulders back, interrupting her friendly formalities with her little posse. "I'm talking to you, bitch!"

"Whoa, hey now. Calm down, alright?" Kakashi stood between the two of them. "Hey guys, back me up here.", he motioned to the group behind her. A fairly heated argument was beginning, but instead of Mika's blood boiling over like it normally would, she fell into an internal conversation with yourself.

This is kind of weird.

You're telling me.

I mean, why am I not going 'rabid monkey' on her ass? I feel like….like….

Like you've grown up and physically hurting her would be like murdering an innocent child?

No, not really, but kinda…..God, I remember how mad I used to get.

Yup, I remember too. I was the one protecting you.

In a way, you were the cause of it.

What!?!

It's not a big deal. It's just I'm fairly certain that she only ever hated me cause of you.

That Bitch!

…..hmmm, yea. Why do you suppose I'm not reacting to this situation? I'm always the first to say something when I'm threatened.

Maybe it's cause you lived a better life than she did and so now you feel bad.

You already suggested that.

I know, it's because I'm right. Listen, seeing as how you're staying calm here, just stay graceful, and kick her ass.

Per say?

I meant literally.

I think that I have grown into a more subtle foe. I'll just play this one by ear.

You are too nice of a person, you know that?

….hehehe, at least I'm not gay.

Shut up! I'm not fucking gay!

Mika's eyes shot back up to the quarrel that was happening right in front of her. The woman was getting more and more pissed by the nanosecond and was about to throw a punch at Kakashi for a reason that she missed during her internal conversation. He could have caught it easily, being that he was standing directly in front of her, effectively blocking her from the entire scuffle.

Mika reached up and placed her hands on his shoulders, leaning up and telling him to move, that everything was going to be o.k. The woman's arm was caught by one of the men standing behind her, who Mika suddenly recognized as Iruka. Kakashi moved and Mika walked forward embracing the psychotic woman in a hug.

"No more of these 'physical altercations', alright? We're adults now.", she whispered in her ear with a slightly condescending tone, before taking a step back. The entire group was now silently standing in front of the bar. All were in a state of utter shock. Mika glanced around and let out a small laugh, "Just so ya'll know, Hell did not just freeze over, I assure you." She and I are far from being on friendly terms.

Holy crap….. "Well, that was a pleasant surprise.", Kakashi put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder and smiled at the group. Just act casual. "So….are you guys headed here too?"

"Uh….yeah. Just for a few rounds.", Iruka nodded toward the drinking establishment.

"Oh how nice.", Mika grinned. "Why don't we all sit together? Catch up on old times and such?" Her smile caught the boys off guard so they just nodded in approval. "You gonna stick with us, Anko?"

The evil woman squinted her eyes and crinkled her nose at Mika. She's up to something, I just know it. No good, demon child…. "Yeah. After you, Hana.", she motioned toward the door.

"Why thank you. But it's Mika now.", she tilted her head at Anko as she walked into the bar, ahead of the group.

…'sigh' I'm gonna have to put a disclaimer that the beginning of the next chapter, aren't I? Oh well, prepare to be shocked out of your freakin socks!