Chapter 5

We followed my grandmother from the shrine to the house she lived in, the house I grew up in. "Obaasan, what are you doing back from the shrine already?" another voice I knew called from the kitchen.

"I ran into some interesting travelers." Obaasan answered.

It was then that a familiar face was coming into the main hall. She was wearing an apron over her t-shirt and jeans. Her dark hair was cut into a short chin-length bob that framed her face. Her brown eyes came to settle on me. "Ava?"

"Misa!"

She was then rushing over to me and enveloping me in a big hug. Then she pulled back to look at me. "What in hell happened? Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I have been about you?" She started in on me at that moment. "And why do you have four men with you? And why are you all dressed like that? Did you just come from some cosplay convention or something?"

"Cosplay?" Hideyoshi asked.

"Misa, don't start in on her like that." Obaasan gently chided. "Now go put on some tea."

Misa nodded. "Alright, but Ava, you and I will be talking later." She was then returning to the kitchen to put on the tea.

Obaasan led us to the living room. She sat down in her chair and then gestured for us all to sit where we pleased. I took a seat on the couch and Mitsuhide sat beside me. Hideyoshi, Sasuke, and Yukimura took the other available seats in the room. Then Misa was coming in with the tea and sitting it on the small coffee table.

"So, Ava, what do you have to tell us?" Obaasan asked.

"Just know what I am about to say sounds completely crazy and made up, but is completely one hundred percent the truth." I said.

Obaasan nodded. "Alright."

I took a deep breath and then began my explanation. "I've been living in the past...five hundred years in the past in the Sengoku period." I then began to tell them of how I had traveled through time and the things that had happened since then...being sure to leave out times my life had been in danger for my grandmother's sake.

Obaasan looked at me with her wise and knowing eyes. "I always knew you were okay." She said.

"How?" I asked her.

"I just...I always had this feeling that you were living the life you wanted to live." She answered, placing a hand over her heart. "I knew in here you were alive, well, and happy."

"She's not lying either. When the detectives came asking questions to try and find you, she told them she knew you were alright." Misa said with a sigh. "She said she would know if something were wrong with you."

"I take it you're going to be trying to find a way to go back?" Obaasan asked me.

I nodded. "Yes, Sasuke is going to be working on the calculations of when the next wormhole will appear."

"Well, you're al welcome to stay here until that time." Obaasan said.

"We couldn't impose like that." Hideyoshi began to protest.

"I insist." Obaasan said. "Besides, however much time is left, I'd very much like to see my granddaughter for a while."

"And I've got a lot I have to say to you as well, Ava." Misa said, giving me a pointed look.

"Are you going to scold me, mother?" I asked me tone teasing.

"Hell yes I am!" She replied. "You've been gone for six months! Obaasan was certain you were fine, but I wasn't! I was worried sick! Do you have any idea what I thought could have happened to you? Dead? Taken by human traffickers?!"

"Do you feel better now?" I asked.

Misa sighed. She was then enveloping me in a hug. "Yes. We may be cousins, but you know I think of you as a sister...my little sister."

"You are two days older." I replied with a sigh.

After chatting a few more moments, Obaasan led us all upstairs to the bedrooms to get settled in. Misa moved her important things out of her room and into the same room as Obaasan. Hideyoshi took her room then, though it was a fight to get him to agree to it. Sasuke and Yukimura took the spare room to share. It even had bunk beds. Mitsuhide and I took my old room.

As Mitsuhide and I walked into my old room, I noticed how quiet he had been since we'd arrived. I took his hand in mine. "Mitsuhide?"

His gaze turned to me, tender and affectionate. "Yes, my dearest?"

"Are you...okay? You've been unusually quiet since we met up with my grandmother."

"Just trying to make a good impression on my future in-laws." He replied, lifting a hand to cup my cheek.

"Trust me, they'll love you as you really are." I replied. "But...are you sure that's all?"

"You doubt me, little mouse?" He asked, his tone teasing.

"Just seems like leaving a good impression on anyone has ever mattered to you before." I replied, my own tone teasing. "In fact, I remember how hard you worked to leave a bad impression on everyone."

"Well, these are different circumstances." He replied. "I mean once we go back...they won't be able to see you again. I want them to know you're in good hands."

There was something about how he said that, that made me wonder. I was about to ask him when there was a knock on the door. It opened and then Obaasan was coming in with a box of clothes. "I found these in the attic. I think they might fit you, Mitsuhide. If you're all going to be here for a bit, you should blend in." She said.

"Thank you." Mitsuhide said, taking the box of clothes from her.

"I've gto more for the others." She said. "Oh, and Sasuke said something about ordering some clothes online."

"Thank you, Obaasan." I said. "Of course, I can't let him order all of the clothes."

"I already told him I would help, but he insisted it was fine and he had it covered." Obaasan answered. "Something about buying things for his childhood heroes."

She then left us alone once again. "What is this...online?" Mitsuhide asked.

"Oh, it's how people connect now. You can gather information, buy and sell things. Look up information on any subject you can think of." I said. "Talk to people. You can even talk to people on the other side of the world instantly."

"And how do you access all of this?" He asked.

I gestured over to the computer desk in the room. "With this." I answered. I was then sitting at the desk and turning the computer on. I pulled it up and showed him what it was like to surf the web.

"Fascinating." He said. "So, you said, you can look up information on any subject?"

I nodded. "Yes, math, science, history, politics, cat videos."

Mitsuhide gave me a questioning look. "Cat...videos?"

"So, videos are like moving picture scrolls with sound." I explained. I was then pulling up some videos and showing him.

"But why cats?" Mitsuhide asked.

"Because they're cute." I answered. "And come of the videos are pretty funny."

We spent a few more moments, me showing Mitsuhide things on the internet before we decided we should probably get changed. Mitsuhide was searching through the box of clothes.

"Here, let me, help." I said, coming over and looking through the clothes. I found the perfect outfit for him.

"You know little mouse...I'll need your help getting dressed, too." He said, a mischievous glint in his amber eyes.

I smiled at him. "Well, I mean you did help me with that costume when we were on that mission." I replied "Though I can tell you modern clothes are much easier."

I helped Mitsuhide into the clothes, a pair of jeans, a white V-neck shirt, and a light blue jacket. "How do I look?" He asked.

"These clothes have never been worn better." I answered.

Mitsuhide smiled at me as he pulled me close. "Is that so, my little mouse?"

I giggled as his breath tickled my neck. "Hold on a second, I need to change, too." I replied.

"I suppose." He replied, releasing me.

I went to the dresser and pulled out a bra and panties. I could sense Mitsuhide's gaze on me as I did so. I looked at him. "What is it?"

"There doesn't appear to be much fabric there to cover anything." He observed. "Not that I am complaining...but I am not fond of the idea of so much of you being revealed to the others."

I giggled. "These are for wearing under my clothes." I explained. I was then going to the closet and grabbing a casual blouse and skirt.

"I see." Mitsuhide said.

I untied my obi and removed my kimono. I could feel Mitsuhide's gaze on me as I disrobed, making my cheeks flush. Sure he had seen me naked probably thousands of times by this point, but there was something about this that left me feeling embarrassed.

Mitsuhide chuckled. "Don't tell me you're feeling shy, little mouse?" He asked in that teasing tone of his.

"No...I'm just...you're just...watching me so intently."

Mitsuhide grinned. "You are quite captivating." He replied. "Plus, I am quite interested to see how these...under clothes work."

I felt myself flushing for a different reason. I ignored Mitsuhide and his appreciative gaze as best as I could and slid on the lacey bra and panties. Then I quickly put on my blouse, followed by my skirt, tucking the top into the waistband of the skirt.

It was a simple and casual outfit. The blouse was a short-sleeved white button-down top and my skirt was a pale blue one that ended about three inches above my knees. I turned to Mitsuhide who was looking at me in a very flattering and hungry way.

"How...do I look?" I asked.

"Beautiful...as always." He answered. He was then coming over to me and wrapping his arms around my waist. "I think I rather enjoy how revealing your modern clothes are."

Though nothing really showed, I understood that this outfit was revealing by Sengoku standards. Really the only thing showing here more of my arms and legs.

Mitsuhide grinned as he pulled me closer for a kiss. His hand began to slide down and he had just reached the hem of my skirt when there was a knock on the door. "Ava, Mitsuhide."

We broke apart at the sound of our names. It was Sasuke who had called us. "What...is it?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound too breathless.

"I think I've figured out when the next wormhole will be."