Smoke and Mirrors

Chapter LI: Eternal Sunshine Part One

by: Pocahontas X

"Is it strange for me to say that if I were to die today there's not a thing that I would change, I've lived well."

ETERNAL SUNSHINE, JHENE AIKO

(XXX)

Shizuru found Natsuki sitting on the garage floor propped up against her recently purchased Ducati Scrambler. The gentle rumbling of a guitar solo from an unknown punk band poured from the speakers centered in various places around the room.

The heavy, alluring scent of cannabis wafted from the half-smoked joint resting in between Natsuki's thumb and index finger. The brunette closed the door behind her and walked over to her wife and kneeled beside her, gently plucking the joint from her grasp and stubbing it out on the concrete below.

She normally didn't have a problem with Natsuki smoking weed. After all, it was much better than smoking cigarettes health-wise. But she would prefer it if Natsuki didn't drown out all of her problems with the drug.

"Sorry," Natsuki said sheepishly, offering her wife a small smile.

"Everyone is ready to go." Shizuru hugged Natsuki's lean arm against her chest and rested her head against an equally lean bicep.

"Sorry," she apologized again, "I must've lost track of time."

"There's no need to apologize, my love." She pressed a loving kiss to the younger woman's cheek. It was only when Shizuru's eyes began to roam did she notice a familiar blue cloth strewn hazardously across Natsuki's lap. Her fingers reached out to stroke the feather soft texture of the robe on their own accord.

The robe was a beautiful dark blue that was only a shade or so darker than Natsuki's hair, with a brilliant white collar decorated with intricate golden designs and symbols. The word "Rokudaime" was printed in delicate yet bold Japanese letters down the back of the robe.

Rokudaime, literally meaning "Sixth" represented Natsuki's title as only the sixth person in Yakuza history to attain the position of Lord of the Yakuza, and only the second woman after her former mentor, Namikaze Shinobu.

Although many referred to her as simply 'Lord Kruger' there were still quite a few who addressed her by her more reserved and honorable title, 'Rokudaime Natsuki.'

"I still remember the day you were chosen as Namikaze's successor." Shizuru said. "The looks on everyone's faces are still engraved in my memory. Everyone thought it was going to be Miyu, including myself. She was, after all, Namikaze's most trusted advisor and second in command."

Natsuki chuckled at the memory. She'd only been nineteen, the youngest of men and women alike to be chosen for a position countless individuals fought and died to attain. And there were those who expected it. Miyu, for example, knew the moment Namikaze took Natsuki as her apprentice, something no Lord had done in ages, that she was molding her to be the next big thing.

"I do too. I think I fainted."

"Not quite, but you were close. If I hadn't been there to catch you might've passed out in front of all your subordinates."

"Man, where would I be without you? That would've really sucked. I can just imagine it now." The younger woman snorted, and waved her hands in a dramatic fashion. "'Rokudaime Natsuki, successor of the famed Godaime Namikaze, faints forty-five seconds into her position as Lord of the Yakuza'."

"The girls were only three years-old then." Shizuru said fondly. "They didn't know what was going on during your acceptance speech, but they cheered for their daddy anyway. It was so cute watching them cling to your legs as you walked down the aisle with a robe far too big for you at the time."

"Hey," Natsuki protested and lightly nudged her shoulder, "I grew into it."

Grinning, Shizuru replied, "But Natsuki had to roll up the sleeves and tie them in place with rubber bands and hair ties because they refused to get it remade. Namikaze always said you'd grow into it. She was right."

Memories of her former mentor surged through the Rokudaime. Godaime Shinobu was a cruel woman who carried out horrific crimes and murdered countless individuals both innocent and guilty alike, but she wordlessly took the place of a father figure in Natsuki's life after Reagan's deception.

She was harsher, meaner, and often struck her former apprentice when Natsuki didn't do something right or just because, something her real father had never done. There were scars on Natsuki's body inflicted by the deceased Godaime's hands and even teeth. Biting had been one of Namikaze's many fetishes and her favorite way to show dominance.

Aoi had sinister teeth-like scars and puncture holes all over her neck and thighs from her days as Namikaze's favorite girl. Like many others, Shinobu believed wolves could be tamed by biting its left ear, and she'd carried out her beliefs on the Rokudaime when she was still an initiate.

The scar still remained, but it didn't sting like it used to.

"Five-five and a half to five-ten in eight months." Natsuki said smugly. "It's a Kruger thing. I always kind of secretly hated that you were taller than me back then."

"I thought Natsuki's pudginess was adorable…"

"Oi, I wasn't pudgy!"

"Natsuki's cheeks were pudgy. You looked like a little puppy ~fufufu." The older woman let out a rather girlish squeal and rubbed their cheeks together. "So cute."

"Sh-Shizuru!" Natsuki stammered, blushing profusely. She found herself being smothered by her wife's ample bosom.

Neither one of them noticed the garage door open and their admirably straight-faced youngest daughter clamber down the stairs with their far too smug father in tow.

"See," Reagan said, "Told you they were getting it on."

Upon hearing her dad's voice, Natsuki practically flew out of Shizuru's embrace, much to the woman's chagrin. She pouted.

"It-it's not what it looks like!" Natsuki cried.

"Could've fooled me." Namiko's smirk was almost as infuriating as her grandfather's.

Shizuru buried her face in the palms of her hands and began sobbing. "Natsuki doesn't love me anymore! She thinks I'm ugly."

"WHAT? NO." Panicking, she pulled Shizuru into her arms and held her tight. "You're the most beautiful woman on the planet."

"Aww, Natsuki really thinks so?" She raised her head, her eyes sparkling but not with the expected tears.

"YOU- Gah! Jeez, how old are you!?" Natsuki said, exasperated.

"Natsuki, Ikezu~" Shizuru pouted cutely and folded her arms, promptly showing Natsuki her back. "It's not polite to ask a woman her age."

Namiko watched, fascinated at her parents' child-like displays of character. She'd never seen them like this before. "What just happened?"

"That, my dear, is basic Shiznat fluff." Reagan said.

"Shiznat?"

She nodded. "Shizuru + Natsuki = Shiznat. OTP. Endgame. You know how it is."

"My parents are your One True Pairing and your endgame?" Namiko giggled. "What is this, Fanfiction?"

"Of course." Reagan replied, looking at Namiko like she's just sprouted wings. "You didn't think it was you and Acacia now did you?"

"Uh…"

Her grandfather snorted. "Please, the whole teenage pregnancy storyline has already been done. You guys have nothing on Bonnie and Clyde over here."

"I don't know how I should feel about that." Namiko said.

Reagan just smiled and fondly ruffled her granddaughter's hair, sending dark curls flying all over the place. Then, the older woman ventured over to the very end of the garage where one of the cars had been covered by a thick white sheet. She looked over her shoulder and rubbed her hands together conspiratorily.

"I know you've been wondering why you haven't been able to use your car lately," Reagan said to Namiko, who gave a single nod, "Well, that's because it's been… under reconstruction lately."

Shizuru and Natsuki looked on with interest. No one except Saeko, who had been working side-by-side with Reagan for the past few days really knew what she'd been doing in the garage. "Behold!"

The sheet was ripped away from the Challenger.

"Well shit," Natsuki blew out an impressed whistle.

Shizuru couldn't even bring herself to reprimand her wife for her choice of words seeing as she couldn't come up with something more appropriate.

"LS Customs over here has really outdone herself, hasn't she?" Saeko's smooth voice sounded from the stairwell where she was standing wearing a proud smile.

"Ara…"

Reagan grinned and tapped the hood affectionately. "You thought this baby was powerful before? Wait until you get a load of this." She pointed to the supercharged engine perched on top of the hood. "Edelbrock 4670 Supercharged GM LS3 416 CI/720/hp/658TQ engine. This baby could leave a taking off plane in the dust."

She kneeled down beside the front of the car and gestured to the bumper where a set of menacing looking steel bars adorned the precious metal there. "Reinforced steel barricade push bumpers could ram a big rig right off the side of the road."

"Inside we have steel roll bars that protect the driver if the car was to be flipped, and in the backseat we have enough nitrous to send you to the future." Reagan finished and leaned against the driver's side door. "You guys can pick up your jaws off the floor now."

"This is so freakin' cool," Namiko said, inching closer.

"Whoa there." Reagan held up a hand. "I'd keep my distance if I were you, Baby Kruger."

"Why?"

"Because LS Customs over here forgot to mention that this car is literally a ticking time bomb." Saeko explained. "There's more explosive material underneath that hood than there is an actual engine. She just put the supercharged GM on it to make it look pretty."

"You made a freaking bomb!?" Natsuki cried. "For what?! I'm trying to negotiate with the Yakuza, not blow them to Kingdom Come!"

"If you think you're going to have a nice quiet, peaceful trial with just a few shady motherfuckers, you're going to have a bad time." Her father snorted. "There's probably going to be quite the commotion considering Rokudaime Natsuki is returning. You're going to need a…"

"Distraction." Natsuki finished, her lips curving into a conspiring smile.

Reagan nodded. "Exactly. And what could be more distracting than driving a supercharged nuke through a building singing Unravel at the top of your lungs?"

Saeko didn't really like the idea of anyone driving the "Ash Tray" as it was called now, but if their carefully cultivated plan was to work, someone had to get behind the wheel.

Reagan held up a small device that resembled a TV remote control. "This is the detonator, but it's not just any old detonator, though." She pointed to the fancy red button centered in the middle of the remote. "It's fingerprint activated. I'm the only one who can make it splash. Wouldn't want this baby to fall into the wrong hands now."

"In order for this plan to work, someone has to drive the Ash Tray to the detonation point, located here." Saeko pulled a worn map from the confines of a drawer and laid it at her daughter's feet. She pointed to the intended spot. "With any luck, the explosion will be big enough to block off the entrance so any intruders won't be able to get in so easily."

"And hopefully Nagi's somewhere in a lower level bathroom powdering his nose. That way we can kill two birds with one stone." Reagan added morbidly, slinging an arm around Saeko's petite shoulders and pressing a loving kiss to her greying temple.

"Wow," Natsuki uttered. "You guys really thought this through."

The taller woman crossed the room and placed her hand on top of her daughter's dark head. "When your only daughter is facing dire consequences, you tend to go a little overboard to make sure she has the best chance of coming out unscathed."

Smiling up at her dad, Natsuki said, "Best parents ever."

"That's up for debate." Namiko piped up, drawing forth a small giggle from her mother.

"We're sorry about your car, sweety." Saeko told her youngest granddaughter with an apologetic smile. "We know you just got it and it's special to you being a gift from your father and all, but it's the only car with enough horsepower to really do some damage."

"It's okay." Namiko replied with a smile. "I'd rather have my dad alive and breathing at the end of all this than a simple car."

Shizuru fondly hugged her arm and nodded. "I agree. We can always buy you another car, but you will only have a father like Natsuki once in a lifetime."

Natsuki gave her wife, child, and parents one of those smiles you'd immediately want to commit to memory. One of those big, cheesy, ear-to-ear, shut-eye smiles that melted each and every one of their hearts.

"Hehe." Was all Rokudaime Natsuki could say.

They weren't needed anyway.

{XXX}

An hour later the family was all packed up and ready to move out. Jabari, their ever faithful pilot, was waiting for them at a private air-space specially reserved for important figures who wished to remain incognito.

There were three aircrafts present: Jabari's signature white private jet for the family, a separate jet of the same model only a shade or so darker for their friends, and a massive matte grey Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker that would transport the Ash Tray along with several other vehicles that would serve a lesser role, but were important no less.

"Lord Kruger!" Jabari's thick Jamaican accented voice was delighted as he approached the family sporting his familiar rastafarian inspired attire, his long dark dreads swinging behind him. He took Natsuki's hand, squeezing firmly. "My old friend! It has been so long."

"It's been two months." Natsuki laughed.

"My Lady," he bowed respectfully to the Snake Queen and humbly kissed the back of her knuckles. Then, he looked at Namiko, his eyes wide. "I 'member when you was this big." He made a shape with his hands no larger than a basketball. "Now you big as warrior."

"And you two… so pretty and grown, make Jabari feel ancient. And what's this?" He gestured to Kaiya's bulging stomach. "A little one grows within you! Ah, 'tis a joy to see your family doing so well and getting bigger and bigger!"

Pleasantries were exchanged while Reagan, Tate, Nao, and Chie set about loading the cars into the Stratotanker.

"What's wrong?"

Namiko noticed her older sister's deflated expression through the window and made her way into the plane. She took the seat beside her.

Kaiya sniffled and rested her cheek against her baby sister's firm shoulder. "I miss her already." She laughed breathlessly, swiping away a few stray tears. "How are you coping so well? I feel like I'm about to have a mental breakdown."

"I'm not pregnant." Namiko said, smiling when she earned herself a little giggle. "And you're just so used to being around her all the time. For six years the longest you've been away from her is what, a week? A few hours maybe?"

"Seventeen hours and forty-seven minutes…"

Namiko blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. "... Okay, a little creepy, not going to lie. But it'll be okay. Aren't you guys texting now?" She gestured to the phone in her sister's lap.

"Yeah." Another little smile. "I don't know how she's going to survive without me. She's so forgetful, a true terror in the kitchen too."

Namiko nudged her shoulder. "But you can't cook either. How the hell do you guys eat?"

"Shut up, dork," Kaiya stuck her tongue out. "She's a good cook, great actually, but like I said she's just so forgetful. Sometimes she'll completely forget there's something in the oven. I can't remember how many times the fire department has been at our house."

"Acacia isn't that good of a cook either honestly." Namiko made a face and lowered her voice. "Don't tell her I said that, though."

"Look at the pot calling the kettle black."

Both girls looked up as the eldest of the Kruger children entered the aircraft. For the first time in a long time, Keira wore an expression of tranquility. Her eyes were calm and her lips bore traces of a small smile.

Namiko playfully rolled her eyes as Keira took the seat on the other side of Kaiya. "I don't think any of us are in the position to be judging anyone's cooking other than dad's."

All three of the Kruger girls laughed.

"I still don't know how dad survived all those nights when mom was at work. I still don't know how we survived either." Keira said.

"Aunt Mai and Uncle Takumi." Kaiya reminded her. "Remember when dad tried to make a birthday cake for mom when we were like seven?"

"How could I forget?" Keira snorted. "Luckily Miyu was there to put out the fire or else we'd have probably been fish sticks."

The Rokudaime's daughters fell into a fit of laughter.

It was a special moment. Special, because it's literally been years since they all sat down and laughed together. Kaiya wrapped her arms around both of her sisters' elbows and tugged them as close as possible. "You guys always know how to make me feel better."

Unknown to the trio, a pair of women were huddled up beside the plane listening in on the conversation intently through the cracked window.

"They're perfect." Natsuki said with a huge grin even though they were bad-mouthing her kitchen skills.

"Absolutely," Shizuru agreed softly.

"We did a damn good job." Natsuki held out her fist. "Gimme some, babe."

Shizuru rolled her eyes and made a move to walk away, but Natsuki latched onto her waist. "Don't leave me hangin' Shiz." She whined.

A musical laugh erupted from Shizuru's lips as she brought her fist up and dabbed it against her wife's. "We did, didn't we?" She murmured.

"Damn straight." Natsuki replied just as softly, wrapping her arms around her wife's neck and pulling her into a strong embrace.

Shizuru tucked her head under her chin and closed her eyes.

"Speaking of birthdays, yours is coming up, you know." Natsuki said. "What do you want? And don't say you have everything you need again. I let you use that on me for the past ten years."

"I only desire one thing." Her words were so soft Natsuki's ears strained to catch them. Her wife's fingers clutched the front of her leather jacket tightly as shimmering red orbs met luminescent green.

"Anything." Natsuki breathed, enamored.

"Come back to me." Her wife whispered against her lips. "Come back to us. We've done a good job, but we aren't finished yet. You must return."

Natsuki's features softened as she tucked a strand of chestnut curls behind Shizuru's delicate ear. Her hand never left her cheek as she kissed her forehead. "That's easy." She breathed against the skin there. "Besides, it's your turn to buy the drinks now."

A tear fell from Shizuru's eye, but it was brushed away by Natsuki's thumb. She nodded softly. "I suppose it is."

"Let's move out!" Jabari shouted to the other pilots as they boarded their respective planes with their passengers in tow.

Shizuru clutched Natsuki's hand as they watched the Stratotanker begin its ascension into the cloudless night sky.

Her other hand found the necklace lying just above her breasts and she squeezed it tightly.

I know I have exhausted all of my prayers, but please… I beg of you, grant me this one final wish. Bring her back to me… Bring her back to us, Utsukushi Namiko no Hime…

{XXX}

I'm back from my long absence. School has really been intolerable these last few weeks. I've barely had enough to breathe, let alone write! But the hard part's over at last, and now the story must continue!

Get ready for a Twist of Fate next chapter.