Disclaimer: Again, I don't own anything or anybody except Tomoko, her family, and Nagareboshi Cafe. Any concepts/ideas mentioned in this fanfiction that seem to be borrowed from another media/piece of continuity - note that I don't mean to plagiarize anything or anybody in any way! This fanfic was made for entertainment purposes, not for pissing off others! So yeah!
The theme for this chapter is Naruto: Road to Ninja's theme of Soredewa, Mata Ashita from Asian Kung Fu Generation. This song really stood out to me when seeing the initial trailers for this movie, and with the amount of emotion coming from both Naruto and Sakura dealing with the full amount of their unrealized dreams (ESPECIALLY Naruto being with his parents again), it hit some emotions that I found vital in writing this chapter. So a warm thanks to the original band, because they also composed the amazing Haruka Kanata from the original Naruto anime to serve as the 2nd opening, and I'm grateful since it was the first exposure to Naruto I ever had as a kid.
On the other hand, an alternative piano theme comes again from Kyle Landry, this one being Oracion, the ending theme from No Game No Life. I remember when watching the show, this ending theme really stood out to me due to showing how [Blank] met, Sora and Shiro becoming the loving siblings they are today. In a world where no one accepted them, they found each other, and it's with that in mind that I wanted to show this theme, because acceptance is really important in this chapter. For a longer version of the piano cover, I'll point you towards Theishter-Anime on Piano's cover again, since he does a full version of the original song.
As a last (music) note [no pun actually intended - it just came out that way], the song that Tomoko sings is actually Credens Justitiam, Mami's theme from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, composed by the ever lovely Yuki Kajura herself. I found it really relaxing when listening, so it fit in with this chapter perfectly.
Please enjoy!
Chapter 36: Rediscovering Humanity
For once, there was silence at the dinner table. And it wasn't the usual awkward silences hinting at some kind of joke.
This was a tense silence. One forged from a copious amount of stress and distaste. And I for once didn't know how to break it.
How would I? How could I?
When I was Vy, I didn't have to deal with three of my best friends coming home from a mission completely traumatized. Sure, back then, I went through some shit, but this was different.
Kakashi, Obito, and Rin, were all at the table silently eating their meals, but didn't even bother to look at their fellow dinner mates. The only differences between the three were the small, minute movements they were doing.
Obito kept glancing between Rin and the table, his eyes hard and his muscles tense, as if he was about to lash out at any sudden movements. The whites of his knuckles and the reddening skin of his palms finished a worrying sight.
Rin was visibly shaking, if only to the point where it could be passed off as her merely being chilled from the cool spring air. Her face was taut and almost unhealthy looking with the pale looking skin - more so than I had ever seen her before.
And Kakashi. God, Kakashi. My best friend wasn't saying anything. But considering that he had taken the immediate seat next to me and continued to glance up at me every once in awhile, it was clear something happened.
Something happened, and scarred, all of my friends.
It must of shocked them a LOT if it meant that my best friend, the formerly confident mission-ninja, would be looking at me like a protective bulldog. The happy-go-lucky knucklehead was acting trigger happy, and not in the good way. And the kind and optimistic healer was reduced to a shivering kitten.
I… did not like seeing them like this. Not. One. Bit. And the worst of it all, was that I didn't know what to do.
In the middle of all this, the adults (Papa, Mama, and Uncle Sakumo) just looked at each other. Another few seconds passed before Papa sighed.
"Something happened, huh?"
Even if Papa was speaking in the most detached, matter-of-fact tone possible, it seemed to just increase the tension in the air as my three ninja friends all flinched.
"Er…" Obito started, looking up for the first time that entire evening, a small amount of rice halfway to his mouth via his chopsticks. The way his jaw clenched left an echo in the living room for all to hear.
"... Judai, that isn't really the best way to start the conversation." Uncle Sakumo deadpanned.
"At least it did something," Papa replied, the same deadpan expression on his face.
"Judai," Mama interrupted with a frown.
"Hikari, just let me finish, okay?" Papa replied, this time in a more sincere and loving tone. For some reason, I had a strange feeling that Papa was in his 'Ninja' mindset, and Mama was the main exception to the whole thing.
Ninja can be weird, Tomoko-chan.
"Papa…?" I found myself calling him without meaning to, and he turned to me with a soft smile.
"It'll be okay, Tomoko-chan. Just let me finish, alright?" And then Papa reached over to ruffle my hair.
"Okay…?" But that strange feeling of foreboding wasn't leaving my chest.
Three… Two… One...
Papa then sat back in his seat, crossing his arms. "How do you all feel about a sleepover?"
I blinked as the foreboding quickly disappeared in exchange for confusion.
...Huh?
Hisako was smiling. There it is.
"Huh?" Obito said slowly, unknowingly repeating my thoughts as his rice took the moment to drop from his chopsticks onto the table.
"Sleepover…?" Rin repeated, also looking up with shocked eyes.
"Sleepover?" Kakashi repeated, and with that said, he was finally starting to resemble the best friend that left the house 2 weeks ago with his deadpan expression. "Uncle Judai, I already live here."
"You're misunderstanding me, Kakashi." Papa was smiling again, this time with more light reaching his eyes. "Obito and Rin, you do have all your stuff with you, right?"
The two Genin looked at each other before facing us again, nodding.
"Then that settles it." Papa leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head. "You two stay with us for the night, and Tomoko-chan and Kakashi can join you both out here in the living room for a sleepover. We'll just set up some extra futons so you kids can hang out. After everything you've gone through, good company is needed, you know?"
There was a very long pause.
"... Why am I not surprised, Judai?" Yet, despite the exasperated words, Mama was smiling, hiding it behind her hand as she put her chopsticks down. "You always come up with this kind of stuff."
"Agreed," Uncle Sakumo put in.
I couldn't help but giggle at the dumbfounded looks on Team Minato's faces. "It's always you, Papa."
"... Wait a second," Obito was starting to get some healthy color back into his face as his goggles drooped from his neck. "So, Judai-san, you want us to sleep over tonight?"
"Yep." Papa answered immediately.
"... Do you even have enough space for us?" Rin added in slowly, a healthy, embarrassed pink filling her face. "I-I mean, we haven't even showered or cleaned up -"
"- The living room is pretty big enough for the four of you, dear. Not to mention we have a spare shower that you can use." Papa retorted, sounding almost annoyed if not for the questioning smile on his face. "As long as you're okay with using the same shampoo and conditioner as Tomoko-chan and Kakashi."
"I never minded," I found myself piping in with a smile.
Obito stared at all of us with a funny face, his fists loosening enough to reduce the angry red of his skin in the process. "Do you even have enough futons -"
"- All the spares are kept in Tomoko-chan's room." Papa continued, now looking over his fingernails.
Apparently my two Genin friends weren't going to let this go, judging by the bewildered looks on their faces. Rin tried to start again. "But what about if we snore -"
"- We just close the doors to our rooms." Papa added.
"And Rin-chan," I found myself interrupting with a small smile. "We'll be out in the living room by ourselves. It should be fine."
Kakashi took the time to speak, because by now, he just looked resigned to his fate. At least, that's what it looked like through the limitations that his mask provided. "Rin, Obito, Uncle Judai already put his mind to it. Just quit complaining and stay over." Honestly, I was just happy to see that Kakashi was starting to get his signature deadpan back.
The two Genin just stared at all of us before attempting to say something. "Y-You're… you're serious about this?" Obito concluded slowly.
I just glanced at Mama and Papa before nodding. "When haven't we been serious about this, Obito-kun?"
The last thing I expected was tears budding in Obito's eyes. "I-I… woah…" He said.
Without even thinking, I shot up from my seat to immediately run over to the Uchiha's side and wrap my arms around his neck in a side hug. "Oh Obito."
I didn't even have to wait that long because I could soon feel Kakashi behind me joining in on the sudden embrace as he reached past my hand to place an arm around his teammate's shoulders. Finally, Rin herself completed the circle, scooting her chair closer to the Uchiha to wrap her arms around his waist. We made a rather awkward looking group of people, but it was a group I loved nonetheless.
"J-Just… oh man, this sucks." Obito cursed, but I didn't miss the minute smile on his face. "I-I got dust in my eyes, but -"
"Obito, we all know that's not dust." Kakashi interrupted in a heartbeat.
"Kakashi!" Rin and I both said in unison, and we soon found ourselves looking at each other in surprise.
Ooh, I sense competition. Hisako said in anticipation.
… Yeah, I couldn't stand for this.
… Hisako?
Yes?
We're having a moment.
Alright, alright, I know when to stop teasing you.
I just focused back on the shuddering Uchiha underneath me with a smile, and I didn't even realize that I forgot to use honorifics. "Obito, it's okay to cry, you know."
The Genin seemed to blubber even more now with my statement. "B-But this - this isn't -" I didn't miss the barely audible sniffle afterwards. "T-Think we could just get back to dinner?"
Almost every part of me wanted to say 'No' for the sake of just holding onto a friend that clearly needed the hug, but my common sense ruled it all out. I tentatively let Obito go after giving him a nice, firm squeeze. "Obito, what I said still stands. You're with us now, okay? And it's okay to feel the way you do. It just shows that you're a human first, not just a ninja. No one's going to judge you, alright?"
When searching for proof, I ended up looking up at Kakashi. The Chunin blinked before glancing pointedly away for a moment, a familiar red on his cheeks. I found myself smiling. "Right, Kakashi?"
"... Really, Tomoko?" My best friend was slowly coming back. Just one more little push…
I just gave Kakashi a questioning glance, and I was surprised to find that he gave in after a few seconds. The Chunin sighed before looking back at Obito with a soft gaze. "No one's going to judge you, Obito. So quit hiding it."
Blunt, but it did the job. The Uchiha blinked before wiping his eyes with his sleeve. Rin was the only one who hadn't let go of Obito yet, and it looked like she wouldn't be doing so for a while considering her hand was still on his shoulder. "Y-You guys… you guys are amazing." The Uchiha finished, and even with his red eyes, I couldn't miss the shaky smile on his lips. "I-It's just… I never really had so many people around to care, you know?"
And before I knew it, Mama almost leapt past the table to sweep Obito AND Rin up into a big bear hug. I was only able to dodge it because of Kakashi pushing me out of the way, but it wasn't for long before Papa grabbed the both of us in a hug of his own, Uncle Sakumo at the side to add into the big company we had. This… was surprisingly nice.
"If not for clan policies, I would've adopted you two in a heartbeat." Mama muttered fiercely into Rin's hair as she snuggled the two Genin. "It would be nice if Tomoko-chan had more siblings." If I wasn't in a big group hug myself, I would've laughed at the faces my ninja friends were making. Obito looked like he was in a cross between surprise and relief, since he was literally buried in half of Mama's chest, while Rin had blank eyes (probably due to being buried in the other half of Mama's chest), too dumbfounded to even respond.
"Papa?" I found myself asking slowly, his chin landing on the crown of my head.
"Hugs all around, Tomoko-chan. Don't question it." Papa responded immediately.
"I'm just a bystander going with the whole thing." Uncle Sakumo added, but I didn't miss how he reached over to hug Kakashi more than me.
I just shook my head to smile. "I love you all so much, okay?"
Kakashi just shrugged. "... That's great and all, but think we could finish dinner? It's starting to get cold."
"Kakashi, don't ruin the mood." Uncle Sakumo said immediately, snuggling him.
"H-Hikari-san?" Obito sounded really squeaky now. "I-I can't breathe."
I just found myself laughing.
Once the lights were turned off and the futons were all set up, the silence returned again.
And let me tell you this right now. I officially HATE silence as of today. It's so tense, so quiet, so… agonizing.
And with all the adults asleep in their rooms, I couldn't rely on Papa to bail me out. It was all up to me here.
"... Are you all still awake?" I found myself asking to break the silence. Internally, I was hoping that I didn't actually wake anyone, but thankfully it wasn't the case.
"I'm up, Tomoko." Kakashi answered immediately from my right side.
"... Couldn't sleep," Obito muttered afterwards from the farther right.
"What is it, Tomoko-chan?" Rin asked on my left, shifting under her blanket.
"Er…" I wasn't actually expecting them all to be awake, and found myself stuttering. What was I supposed to say to my friends that I hadn't seen in two weeks? I couldn't just start with 'What happened', because all that would do would bring back the tense silence from the beginning of the night, and I didn't want that.
Not after I got them to open up again.
"Something's troubling you." Kakashi concluded, and even in the dark, I could tell that he was looking at me. A hand slowly reached over to touch mine, and I didn't even need the light to know it was my best friend. "What is it?"
I sighed. Judging by the new atmosphere, I had to say something. My friends were all looking at me.
"I was just worried about all of you the two weeks you were gone, you know?" I found myself confessing, squeezing Kakashi's hand almost immediately. "Even after I got better from the fever, I still had this feeling that something happened."
Immediately, a tense silence followed. Go me.
"N-Now, I'm not asking you guys to explain what happened!" I tried to amend, twisting in my futon to look at the three of them. "It looks like a lot happened when you were out, and I don't want to make you remember anything bad. I just….." A sigh left me involuntarily. "I'm currently sucking at this."
I didn't miss the almost inaudible "Yeah, no shit," from my right side. I just wasn't sure if it was Kakashi or Obito. I was currently betting on my best friend though.
"... You don't have to say anything, Tomoko-chan," Rin added slowly.
"But it seriously sucks!" I muttered, burying my face into my pillow. "You all head out facing kami knows what, and I'm stuck here wondering whether or not I'm doing enough to help you all!"
There was another pause. It wasn't as tense as before, thankfully.
"What do you mean by that, Tomoko-chan?" Obito asked softly.
Kakashi sighed.
I sighed. "I-It's just… I worry that I'm not doing enough to help you guys, Obito-kun." Even though I was still holding onto Kakashi's hand, my other was doing its job of waving furiously in the air as a way of venting my self-frustration. "You all are the best ninja I've ever known, even when including Minato-san and Uncle Sakumo, and you're my best friends. And when you head out, I'm just left wondering if you're okay, if you're eating alright, if you're taking care of yourself, or even -"
"Tomoko." Kakashi interrupted. "You're ranting again. Shut up for a bit and then try again."
Ugh. He had me at that - again.
And yet he was still squeezing my hand almost like a lifeline.
"Kakashi!" Rin reprimanded.
"R-Rin-chan, it's okay." I huffed into my pillow, feeling a bit like crap. "I was getting into another rant anyways."
Obito was quiet when speaking up. "... We're not that amazing, Tomoko-chan."
Ha ha ha, no. Hisako said immediately. You guys should see how canon went.
For once, I agreed. Even if canon was horrible as all heck.
In canon, it was one female dead, causing the catalyst of a heel-face turn and the creation of two of the most powerful ninja in Kakashi's generation (excluding Guy, who was always a special exception). Great, but at the cost of so much unnecessary death and pain.
Oh, and Naruto being left an orphan and the Uchiha causing so much bullshit.
Hopefully my influence could negate that.
… Hopefully.
Vy had good luck leading up to her death. I was hoping I could have good luck all around.
"I beg to differ, Obito-kun." And for once this whole sleepover, I was smiling. "To me, you're all amazing."
Even in the dark, I could see the various red hues darting across my friends' faces. Obito was a tomato, Rin was a cherry, and Kakashi was… a red something. Maybe a light red pepper? He wasn't mad thankfully, judging by his masked face.
Rin was quiet. "Tomoko-chan…"
"T-That's why I worry sometimes, you know?" I found myself blubbering from the embarrassment now. That's my reward for having my heart on my sleeve, I guess, so I buried my face into my pillow to avoid looking up. "I worry that I can't match up to you guys - that I can't do enough for you amazing people. You all can do so much more than I can, and I just wonder if I'm doing enough to repay you." I made sure to swallow the lump in my throat before continuing. "I-I mean, you guys head out and seem to help the village a lot, and I just sit at the piano, hoping someone will come to me." Involuntarily, a self-conscious chuckle left my lips. "Doesn't seem like much."
"... Tomoko, we've talked about this before." Kakashi was quiet, but I didn't miss how his grip on my hand tightened. "You've been doing more than enough for us. Quit thinking otherwise."
Rin was smiling next to me as I could feel another hand reaching over to hold mine. Judging by the small fingers, I knew it was the medic. "Kakashi is right, Tomoko-chan. You have been doing more than enough."
"Seriously, Tomoko-chan!" Even without looking up, I could HEAR the bright grin on Obito's face as another hand reached over to touch my head. "You play music for us, you give us dinner, and even end up offering a sleepover with us after a mission! Who else offers that kind of stuff?"
The heat was starting to flood my face again. "B-But half of that was Papa -"
"- Who offered it because you were worried about us." Kakashi finished, and judging by his tone, it was final. "And we've lived together long enough for me to know that Uncle Judai loves you, Tomoko. He wouldn't have done that if you didn't care so much about us."
It was now my turn to start getting dust in my eyes. "K-Kakashi…"
"... No crying again, please. We just got a good mood going." Obito said immediately.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at him. "But weren't you crying a little earlier -"
"T-That was dust!" Obito retorted, and I could see the bright red on his face. "I wasn't crying!"
"But Obito…" Rin started. "Didn't you cry that one time during graduation-"
"Rin!" The Uchiha squeaked. "Don't bring that up!"
Unfortunately for Obito, the medic had a bit of a devious face on. "And then there's that one time where you -"
"Lalalala~!" Obito protested, hilariously putting his hands over his ears. "I can't hear you!"
I found myself smiling through the beginnings of tears.
Kakashi just squeezed my hand again, and I looked up to see his warm gaze. "Should we get some sleep?"
"Okay," Relief was finally flooding me as he smiled through his mask. I still wonder why he wears that at night.
But whatever. My friends were here, and they seemed to be okay.
They were home safe and sound, all curled up next to me, even if Rin and Obito looked close to having a pillow fight. I just focused on my friends' presence before closing my eyes and sinking into the covers.
It was late in the night anyways, and tomorrow would be another day.
"... Love you Kakashi."
Before sleep finally overtook me, the same hand holding mine squeezed reassuringly, the familiar warmth flooding my skin. "I love you too, Tomoko. Sleep well."
And for once in the past two weeks, I fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
Kakashi would've liked to have at least ONE peaceful night in his life. After the past two weeks, he just wanted to get home for some peace and quiet, and thankfully, there weren't a lot of questions as to what happened.
The wounds were far too fresh for someone to actually probe right now.
To be honest, Kakashi was most grateful for the fact that Tomoko didn't ask anything, contrary to the worried glances she was sending him and his teammates all day. Living with someone taught you quite a few things about them, and Kakashi knew better than anyone how the girl could get worked up so easily.
And yet when he stumbled into Nagareboshi Cafe, she didn't panic in the slightest, comforting him almost immediately when all he could see was that dead civilian girl in her place.
He was supposed to be okay after seeing his best friend after so many days out on the border. He was supposed to be alright when coming back home to a warm bed and loving family.
So then why did his subconscious HAVE to flood his dreams with those images?
I'm sorry. That dead girl's mouth just kept moving around in his mind's eye. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
For what? He wanted to ask. What are you sorry for?
No matter how many times he spoke out towards space, that girl didn't answer. Because when he tried to reach her, that same Iwa nin decapitated her over and over.
Even if he didn't actually feel the spray of that girl's blood, the dreams MADE him feel it.
The dreams MADE him get close enough to the scene to show the blood shower.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. The girl was morphing now, and then her eyes turned from brown to blue.
Kakashi felt his blood freeze.
Tomoko stood in front of him, wearing those rags and dirty ribbon headband. She was the one mouthing I'm sorry - she was the one bowing her head to that cursed enemy - she was the one staring at him.
And then the kunai came down, and those blue eyes lost their light.
I'm sorry.
"AUGH!"
The next thing Kakashi knew, he was darting up from his futon, breathing hard, and if he didn't know any better, the darkness made it out almost like he was supposed to be on watch again, out in the wilderness. Sweat was budding his face, sinking into his mask fairly quickly, and the room felt hot.
What the absolute fuck?
The Chunin tried to catch his breath before he heard it.
"... Kakashi?"
Without even thinking, he looked down.
Tomoko (a living, breathing Tomoko) was looking up at him with sleepy blue eyes (that were positively shining) and a confused expression. "Kakashi, what happened?"
She's alive. She's not dead.
"T-Tomoko…" He found himself huffing. Even when she was right in front of him, his heart wasn't stopping its marathon.
Immediately, awareness reached the girl's eyes as she sat up in her futon to scoot over and wrap a gentle arm around his shoulders. "... A nightmare?" She whispered.
He shuddered, but forced himself to nod.
Even in the dark, he could make out her concerned blue eyes. Tomoko didn't say a word, and he was surprised to find her pull him close, making him lean against her shoulder. Instead of words, Kakashi could make out humming above his head as the girl reached over to stroke his hair. He didn't recognize the song, but it still was somewhat relaxing.
"I'm right here, Kakashi. It's okay." He heard her murmur. "Don't worry."
His heart was starting to relax despite his mind thinking otherwise.
Would it really be okay? Will you always be here?
Will I be able to protect you?
But before he could think on the subject anymore, Kakashi was surprised to hear soft singing above him. The sound wasn't perfect, sure, at times wobbling due to the nighttime and Tomoko's own high-pitched voice fumbling with the occasional note, but he found himself enjoying it nonetheless. Heck, he wasn't even sure if she was speaking Japanese, but it was calming.
"Solti ola i
Amaliche cantia masa
Estia
E sonti tolda i
Emalita cantia mia
Distia
A litia dista
Somelite esta dia
A ditto i della
Filioche mio
Solti tola
Solti ola i
Amaliche cantia masa estia
E sonti tolda i
Emalita cantia mia distia
Alita della
Maliche sonta dia
Mia sonta della
I testa mia
Testi ola
Solti ola
Solti ola i
Amaliche cantia mia
Dia, dia…"
He didn't even realize that his eyes were drooping closed until darkness enveloped him again, the last sensation being Tomoko's fingers running through his hair.
And this time, there wasn't any blood in his new dream. Heck, he didn't see anyone or anything in the dream. All he could hear was that same song, soft and gentle in his ear.
"Solti ola i~"
When morning finally reared its head, the first indication of its arrival were the warm beams of sunshine coming through the windows. Since I was apparently in its immediate area of vision (thanks to the living room window, no less), I felt the warmth first, and adding in the faint chirping of birds outside, it was enough to rouse me from sleep.
My eyes felt heavy when opening up, but nonetheless, I sat up in my futon, barely registering the feeling of a hand tugging at mine.
The living room was quiet with the exception of snoring around me, and I ended up looking down.
Oh. Hisako breathed.
'Oh' just about summed up the matter really nicely.
On both of my sides, Team Minato was asleep, looking almost peaceful and happy in their slumbers.
Rin, unlike her shaking self from last night, was now curled underneath the futon blankets on my left, lying down on her side. Her hands were curled under her chin as her hair was softly splayed out on the pillow in a velvety, brown curtain. Her breathing was barely audible, being as soft as it was, and even when snoring away, I couldn't miss the soft smile on her face.
Obito, on the other hand, looked as energetic as always on my right, even in his sleep, hands splayed out almost as though he was waving them in the air while lying down on his back. I could also see his feet peeking out from under the blankets, and from the wrinkles in the covers, he must've tossed and turned quite a bit. Loud, audible snores left his mouth as his face had the hints of a big grin, completing the rather chaotic but cute image.
And Kakashi. I remember how he woke up in the middle of the night huffing and puffing from a nightmare, but now? He resembled a small ninja baby, if I could say that much. Even with his mask on, his face held nothing of his usual deadpan expression, being relaxed and calm while breathing in and out slowly. His spiky hair had only a few strands out of place due to the sleeping position, and he was curled under the covers much like Rin, only in a more boyish manner.
And the feeling of a hand tugging on mine when I woke up?
Yep. It was Kakashi. One of his hands had somehow found its way towards mine during the night, and judging by the grip, he hadn't let go this entire time.
Doki doki.
A soft smile found itself on my lips.
Nevertheless, it was morning, and considering no one else was up yet, might as well take the time to do something.
Carefully, I made sure to peel my best friend's hand away to gently place back onto his pillow. Then, I tried to not make a sound as I pushed my futon covers back, standing up slowly to stretch. Thankfully no one was disturbed, and after doing a lookover of my friends, I made sure to tiptoe over to the bathroom.
My luck seemed to be getting better with every passing moment since even when walking in the hallway, the surrounding rooms gave no indication to the possibility of Mama, Papa, and Uncle Sakumo being awake yet.
From the looks of it, it was 6 in the morning?
Huh, that was earlier than usual.
Anyways, I went about my normal morning routine, albeit a bit more quietly than usual, brushing my teeth and hair before changing out of my nightgown. Since we were at home, I decided to go with a simple white summer dress with blue trimmings and an orange hair ribbon, and even with all that, once I stepped back out into the living room again, my friends were still sleeping and the clock read 6:30.
… How do you feel about making breakfast, dear? Hisako offered.
A grin found itself on my face. Way ahead of you.
And it's been awhile since I made pancakes, as Vy or as Tomoko. Why not start again now?
Not to mention when I pulled the checkered blue apron over my clothes, it felt just right.
I just had to be a bit more quieter than usual. When looking around the kitchen, we did have everything. Flour, eggs, butter, some leftover milk, and a little bit of baking powder and sugar. Not to mention cooking oil, frying pans, and the necessary fruits to serve as sides.
This would work! Nothing wrong with blueberries, strawberries, and the occasional orange slice accompanying pancakes.
The recipe took a while to remember, though. Even if I could remember a lot of Vy's life, some things came more easily than others. I guess recipes didn't count in this case. Thankfully, while gathering the ingredients, Hisako was with me every step of the way, putting in her input every now and then.
Make sure to whisk it all thoroughly, Tomoko-chan. We don't want floury, doughy pancakes - aim for fluffiness. Add the dry ingredients after you mixed the eggs with the milk.
Okay, Hisako. Even when mixing it all up, I wanted to keep it quiet - since even from the kitchen, I could hear Obito's snoring. Once the mixture had taken on a smooth consistency, I stopped my whisking. How does this look?
Perfect, Tomoko-chan. My other self was smiling. Now start up the heat and -
Familiar, muscular arms wrapped around my waist as a chin landed on my shoulder. I did my best to hold back a surprised squeak as Hisako blinked in our shared mindscape before chuckling.
I guess some ninja are better at waking up than others.
The scent of pines filled my nose, and by then, I already knew who was hugging me.
I turned my head a little only to get a noseful of spiky, silver hair. "Hello Kakashi," I said softly.
A grumble was my reply as the hold around my waist tightened.
A smile found its way onto my face. "Did you get a good amount of sleep?"
Another, less irritated grumble.
… Well, he's a happy camper.
Now I wasn't sure whether or not to ask what I was thinking at that moment. But I really needed to move around if I wanted to finish making breakfast in time, so I opened my mouth. "...Kakashi, I can't cook if you're holding onto me like this. Is it okay if you could let me go?"
Another grumble was my answer before silver hair tickled my nose.
Did he just shake his head 'no'?
I didn't know what to think, and just felt fond exasperation run through me. "Kakashi,"
A grumble.
A giggle involuntarily escaped me as I let go of the whisk handle. "Kakashi,"
Another grumble.
I don't know whether to find this adorable or annoying. Hisako muttered. Think you could throw him off?
… Hisako, no.
Well, I tried.
I tried again, putting a hand over one of his. "Kakashi, I really need to work."
"... I just missed you," My best friend said, and did his voice just crack?
… Judging by how the grip around my waist tightened, my initial guess was proving to be correct with each passing second.
I hid a giggle. It looks like my Chunin friend has a childish side after all!
A smile found itself on my face again as I reached over with my other hand to lightly pat Kakashi's head. "I missed you too, friend, but I want to make breakfast for you and the others, okay? So I need to move. After breakfast, you can hug me as much as you want, alright?"
Another grumble was my response.
"... I can make miso soup and eggplant just for you to go along with it?" I offered. We did have the extra ingredients - I just would need to take some more time in the kitchen.
A long pause followed.
Then, a sigh tickled the side of my neck before those same arms untangled themselves from my waist with much hesitance. Finally, I could move, and I took the chance to step back and turn around to look at my best friend. Even without his hitai-ate, Kakashi could still pull off the indignant look really well. "... Just make it quick, alright?" He mumbled, glancing at the wall rebelliously.
I just giggled again before hugging him properly. Apparently it caught him off guard because he tensed up like a statue, or a 'scarecrow' as his namesake would suggest, a shallow breath tickling my head. "Tomoko?"
"I'm just happy to have you home, Kakashi." I muttered into his shoulder with a smile, tightening my hold around his waist.
And I meant it. Two weeks was long enough as is.
Above me, my best friend blinked before another, longer sigh left him. Then, I could feel his arms wrap around my back as I was squished into a familiar chest, warmth filling me almost immediately. "I'm home Tomoko." He whispered softly.
I smiled again. "Welcome home Kakashi."
It didn't take long for everyone else to start getting up. Once I started flipping the pancakes and serving them out on plates, I could hear the telltale signs of the adults stirring and Obito's snores fading away into the distance.
Then, the yawns sounded.
Papa's was the loudest, echoing in the hallway with much over exaggeration.
"... The hell?" Kakashi muttered next to me as he stirred the miso soup with a ladle.
"Papa's awake?" I answered tentatively.
Then, Obito yawned. If I didn't know any better, it would've looked AND sounded like he was a lazy cat. "Fuaaaahhhhh~!"
"... There's the Uchiha." Kakashi concluded dryly as he added the cut eggplant into the soup pot.
I just flipped another pancake.
Then, almost inaudible, I could hear Rin start to stir. "Muu~?"
That was actually really cute. Hisako said. Think you could convince your mom to adopt her?
… I'll ask Mama later, Hisako.
Hey, we do have a chance, you know. Considering we're already housing Sakumo and Kakashi of all people.
Then all we'd need is Obito?
Yep.
I had a strange feeling my family was going to become the main safe house for Team Minato and its associates.
Then I could hear footsteps approach. If not for that, then I would've jumped at the advent of new voices in the kitchen.
"...Urgh… Tomoko-chan?" Mama seemed to be up now, judging by her tired voice, and I didn't have to turn to know that she was wiping the sleep out of her eyes. "Why are you up this early?"
I just giggled while placing another pancake onto a plate. "Breakfast, Mama."
A few seconds passed. "I love you so much, Tomoko-chan." And I didn't even have to glance in her direction to know that she was smiling.
Looks like I was succeeding in making some people happy already!
"Ugh… way too much light." Judging by the stumbling voice and rather shaky footsteps, it looked like Uncle Sakumo was just now waking up too. "... Kakashi?" He muttered.
My best friend turned to nod in his father's direction. "Hey Dad."
Uncle Sakumo blinked blearily while absently running a brush through his silver hair. "What's the occasion? You rarely cook, Kakashi."
The Chunin just pointed at me, and as if on cue, another pancake was done and I flipped it to land on another plate.
"Good morning, Uncle Sakumo. Could you help us set up the table?" I glanced back with a smile, and by then, the former White Fang looked a bit more coherent while nodding.
"Hey Kakashi, Tomoko-chan!" Obito sounded chipper now. "What can I do?"
"What about me?" Rin piped in.
"... What am I missing right now?" Papa deadpanned, having just taken the moment to walk into the room.
We certainly had a crowd this morning.
Once breakfast was served, eaten, and cleaned up, I couldn't help but observe the big, balloon belly Obito was now sporting with interest. "Man, that was good! Thanks Tomoko-chan!"
Rin, on the other hand, still looked as dainty as ever, the only sign that she was full being the hand rubbing her tummy almost absently. "Yeah, it was really good, Tomoko-chan. Thank you." Judging by her bright smile, I had done my job! Hooray!
But there was… one outlier.
"So…" Obito started. "Think you could explain why Kakashi is hanging onto you like that, Tomoko-chan?"
Yep, you guessed it. My best friend held me up to my promise and now was hugging me from behind just like before, arms around my waist making it really hard to move. I just found myself giggling nervously while being reduced to sitting on his legs.
And was it just me, or was Rin looking a bit more upset than usual?
… Three, two, one.
A yellow flash sounded in the room, and I nearly jumped if not for Kakashi holding me down.
Papa didn't even move as he just grabbed a toothpick to pick at his canines. "... You really have bad timing, Minato."
The Jounin himself was now standing in the middle of the room, and from the looks of it, he was bearing bad news. His sheepish face said more than enough, and the air turned cold almost immediately.
Kakashi just tightened the hold on me before responding. "... What is it now, Minato-sensei?"
"And make it quick, Minato. I was just in a good mood earlier." Papa demanded.
I… didn't really know what to say at this point. It didn't help that Kakashi was hugging me a bit tighter than usual AND that all the adults seemed to be glaring in Minato-san's direction.
This won't be good. Hisako muttered. … Do we have any popcorn in here?
I blanched. HISAKO!
Hey, hey, kidding, kidding. I'm not going to do that.
… What were you planning then?
That's for me to know and you not to find out. She concluded.
Huh.
On the other hand, Minato-san looked almost like a defendant would be in that chair in a really angry courthouse. Honestly, the Yellow Flash should've been intimidating in that kind of environment, but considering the fact that Papa looked like a Japanese version of Miles Edgeworth and Uncle Sakumo a silver-haired Simon Blackquill with their glaring, I didn't blame him one bit for looking sheepish. Mama seemed to be the odd one out of it though with her long black hair - but if I could exaggerate it enough, she could pull off an older Maya Fey without all the spiritual beads.
Yeah, I could conclude that Minato-san may or may not be doomed. Ace Attorney universe or otherwise.
So where was Phoenix Wright himself then?
"... Could you at least explain WHY my son and his team came back traumatized, Minato?" Uncle Sakumo said slowly.
With the emergence of light killing intent from ALL the adults, I felt the extreme urge to just hightail it out of there.
… The only problem was that Kakashi had no real intent on letting me go this time.
And Obito and Rin looked like they needed the company, judging by their pale faces.
The Jounin broke the tension with a long sigh. "I might as well explain then." I didn't miss how he glanced at me with an apologetic expression before looking back at the adults. "I just came back from a thorough debriefing with the Jounin Commander and the Hokage themselves. None of the mission material needed to be classified, so I was given full disclosure of the mission reports. What I found… was NOT pleasant."
For a brief moment, silence conquered the room as Minato-san's words floated in the air for a moment. Then, it became quickly obvious that the most affected by the information was Team Minato themselves. More specifically, Obito and Rin paled almost immediately, and I didn't miss how Kakashi in particular stiffened behind me.
Papa took in the sight of us, and with a reluctant breath, opened up hell's gates. "Alright Minato. Tell us. What happened to them."
It wasn't even a question at this point. If anything, this was the closest we would get to an informal interrogation.
The Jounin looked apologetic before pulling a chair over to sit down and continue. "The mission wasn't a C-rank mission - if anything, it was a simple recon and assault operation near the front lines, where Kakashi, Obito, and Rin were tasked with bolstering up the forces, and to gather intel and proceed with any saboteur actions that they deemed fit, or ordered to commit."
My blood ran cold.
...He lied to you?
"The mission went south, however, when they made it to the location where Iwa was apparently setting up a foothold with the Land of Fire. Intel was right, except for one distinct fact. We were lead to believe that the battalion that was setting up shop was fresh from home." I didn't miss how Minato-san bit his lip in frustration, fists clenching in his lap. Even when I knew that he had lied to me before, I didn't even feel angry. His face said more than enough. "They were not. Inoichi concluded in his report from analysing the mission summaries that the Iwa nin Kakashi and the others were observing were actually suffering from a 'War High'."
"Shit." Uncle Sakumo's voice shattered the tense silence with his sudden exclamation, and I found myself turning to look at him. His face was contorted in a way that showed his displeasure, disgust, and rage all at once. It was obvious that he was not taking this news well at all, and I didn't even know how to react.
Obito took the time to interrupt with a shaky hand raised. "W-What's a 'War High'? This is the first time I'm hearing of it, Minato-sensei."
The Jounin turned to look at the Uchiha before continuing solemnly. "A 'War High', is a distorted state of mind that soldiers will fall under when undergoing a prolonged amount of time on the battlefield. This could be both good and bad in many cases, allowing for a soldier to fight longer, stronger, and fiercer, despite any injuries they may have. But it could also make them more crueler, impulsive, rash, and disturbed. After so much bloodshed, those men and women would barely classify as sane."
I could swear Mama AND Rin both gasped.
Minato-san's voice started to become a bit shaky as he put his head against his hands. "The high that those Iwa men were suffering from specifically took away their ability to think rashly or morally. From what I've heard, the Third Tsuchikage Onoki would never permit the actions that took place in that village, that I can assure you of." He sighed. "But Onoki wasn't there, and those men had spilled so much blood, they began to relish in it, or not even care anymore. What you saw that day, were not the acts of men and women, but of people who became possessed by their darkest nature."
"You mean…?" Papa trailed off.
Minato-san grimaced. "Those people didn't need to die. But they did because those soldiers wanted them to."
"...So my son and his team saw an entire village slaughtered and you weren't there to help them at all?" Uncle Sakumo concluded angrily.
I could've swore that at that moment, the grip around my waist loosened and tightened all at once. I turned my head in an attempt to look behind me, only to get a masked sigh buried into my hair, stopping me from moving any further.
Kakashi… What did you see out there?
"... Unfortunately, I had to be pulled out towards the front lines. Kakashi, Rin, and Obito were assigned under another Jounin." The Yellow Flash admitted slowly, having yet to properly look up at us.
Papa's expression looked almost murderous if not for Uncle Sakumo's glare making it look pale in comparison.
A sigh. "All of you, calm down already. The kids are in the room." Mama's voice. I found myself breathing a little easier after that due to a combination of atmosphere and Kakashi's loosening grip, only to find Mama staring at me sadly. "Tomoko-chan, I'm sorry. Think you could take Team Minato outside? This is between the adults now."
I glanced at her before looking at the other adults in the room. Minato-san was still refusing to look at us, and Papa and Uncle Sakumo still had those angry expressions on their faces.
I was just grateful that said angry faces weren't directed at me. Heck, even when I looked in their directions, the two men attempted to smile back before refocusing on Minato-san again.
In my heart, I wasn't sure whether to be angry or sympathetic with the Jounin right now.
Before doing anything though, I made sure to look at Obito, Rin, and Kakashi. Starting with the two Genin, they seemed to agree almost immediately with Mama's idea, nodding furiously to the point of clearing some of the pale white off their faces.
And then my best friend. I attempted to turn around, only to get hugged again. A hand reached over to hold onto one of mine, and I didn't miss how it was shaking.
… Let's go, Tomoko-chan. Anywhere but here. Hisako concluded.
I nodded, and then sat up, taking Kakashi with me while doing so. Even when letting go of the hug, he didn't let go of my hand, and it was at that moment his teammates followed suit in getting up from their chairs.
The door leading down to Nagareboshi Cafe was in sight anyways.
With a hesitant sigh, I made my way past the adults, giving them all a hug before leaving.
And it included Minato-san too.
He seemed far too tense, and to be honest? He deserved better.
"I'm sorry, Minato-san." I found myself whispering in his ear before leaving.
I couldn't even get his reply before the door closed on the four of us, and I made sure to bring my friends down into the cafe before the yelling started upstairs.
Obito winced, Rin yelped, Kakashi tensed, and I just sighed before finding my way towards the piano.
It was going to be a long day after all. All we could do now was wait.
Author's Notes: I was actually not expecting to finish this chapter so fast, considering how I'm back in college now, but the inspiration hammer just hit me HARD today. Before moving onto my usual acknowledgements, I want to give a special thanks to Frost-Ninja-Dragon for staying up with me and helping me write Minato's explanation for the events that happened in Chapter 35. NatNicole and flevantein both brought up how the Iwa nin slaughtering that civilian village seemed like a bit much, and it was thanks to FND that I was able to help explain that properly. I hope this satisfies your curiosity.
Thanks again old friend.
Also, a warm shout-out to Lang Noi, writer of Catch Your Breath. I recently PM'd her on the idea of a crossover between Civilian Pianist and CYB, and she and Beta, her beta reader were really supportive of the idea, giving advice that I wanted to hear for a while, so expect a short crossover story with Tomoko meeting THE Keisuke Gekko coming soon!
And once again, I want to thank all my readers and followers thus far. It's because of your support that I was able to dish out such a long chapter, so give yourselves a pat on the back! As of April 4th, 2017, we have 614 reviews, 815 favorites, AND 1,024 followers!
Love you all so much!
This is Writer-and-Artist27 signing out to catch up on homework and brainstorm Chapter 37!