Chapter 16: New Orleans, Louisiana
~ You broke her.
You taught her time and time again
that nothing she does,
ever,
is good enough. ~
Chapter 16
The ninja slowly moved off the plane and most were as pale as a fishs' belly. Lori surely was. The flight took 1 hour and 13 minutes.
Jeri looked back to see the ninja and the blue eyed German girl looking sick. Jeri sighed. Seriously? They must really not like flying. It can't be helped.
Lori grinned as they would be able to meet her father once they had picked up their luggage and B got the cat. They had their cat taken with them. Picking up their luggage and the pet kitty they moved swiftly towards the entrance of the airport. Jeri grinned once a tall, muscular man with tan skin, short wavy black hair and dark eyes came in sight. "Dad!" Jeri calls out happily and the man grins in response.
"Pumpkin!" He ran towards his daughter and enveloped her in a bear hug which she returned. Lori tilted her head clearly confused.
Her Father huh, they look happy but there is no expression of... what's the word? Love. Thought the blonde who shook it off as she made her way towards the man but stopped short and stayed in the back, behind the others so no one could see her. She wasn't much of a social person.
"Honey, it's so good to see you!" Juliet exclaimed hugging her husband tightly who picked her up off the ground and twirled her around not taking notice of the ninja and blonde around them. Setting his wife down he took a good look at some of the ninja and he could've swore he saw a ghost. Several of them.
"Why... How... Lord First, Second! It's an honor to meet you, but with all due respect, how the hell are you here? How are you alive?!" Jeri's father asked looking pale as a sheet. Hahsirama burst out laughing and Rachel out a hand for him to take which he did as they shook hands.
"Please call me Hahsirama! I don't like formalities, this is my brother Tobirama!" Hahsirama exclaimed earning a sharp glare from the younger Senju but neither said anything.
"Yes, Hahsirama-sama, Tobirama-sama. My name is Takahashi Sanders, yes I am an Uchiha but I prefer to go by Sanders here. Why don't we talk about all this somewhere more...private?" Takahashi suggested and Tobirama nodded. Once out of the airport everyone introduced themselves except for Lori. Takahashi looke dto Lori in confusion.
"Takahashi, this is he girl we accepted from foster care." Juliet explained and then looked to Lori with clear joy.
"Come on, don't be shy. Introduce yourself!" Juliet urged wanting Lori to make a good first impression with her husband. Lori looked to Takahashi with bored yet alert eyes and crossed her arms. Her eyes held wariness, Takahashi could see it clearly. She didn't trust him.
Jeri looked hopefully at Lori but the girl's hazel eyes reflected sadness in them. She looks like she's seen a ghost, she's not pale but her eyes hold a wariness in them. Lori, please relax.
Jeri pulled Lori into a side hug and mumyrs quietly so only herself and Lori could hear. "Relax. He's nicer than he looks, he's like a teady bear."
Wuickly letting Lori go she turned to her father and grinned. Lori looked Takahashi in his dark eyes. Takahashi analyzed Lori throughly. She reminded him of someone, the way she acted, the way her eyes were alert even though her body was chill yet defensive. Maybe she was related to that blonde he saw before?
"Lori." Sounded a calm yet defensive voice that demanded answers. It was the blonde girl's voice.
"My name is Lori."
Takahashi smiled at Lori. "You have a last name?" Lori seemed to tense almost immediately as her yes held a sort of calm warning in them. Truth be told Lori didn't remember her last name...
"Nien." Answered Lori, her voice was stern but respectful. It was as if she was trained to be respectful at least to most. Tajima noticed the change in Lori's voice and wondered what was making this sudden change in her. Why did she hold a look of remembrance towards Takahashi? Did she know him from somewhere? Why the hell was she speaking in German?
Takahashi grinned. "German, I see you really are the girl I've heard so much about."
"What?" Asked the blonde.
"Yeah I told dad all about you and so has Mom! Lori saved me from falling to my death the other day too!" Jeri offered hanging an arm around the shorter girls shoulders. Juliet and Takahashi's pupils expanded in fear as they pictured their precious daughter falling to her death.
"What...?" Juliet asked sweetly obviously not aware of this little fact. "How? Why were you falling? Where?" Frets Juliet.
"Well..." Kagami began with a small sweat drop appearing on the back of his head. Great. Now he had to explain that he dropped Takashi's daughter...
Takahashi was looking sternly at the two other men known as Kagami and Tobirama Kagami after Kagami had retold the events leading up to Jeri falling and Lori catching her. Everyone was currently outside the airport walking around one of the various alligator parks, located near the airport.
"So let me get this straight...you dropped my daughter and you told my other daughter, a child that is in my care from Germany to kill herself, or rather that she should have been dead. Which caused her to go into the woods to possibly hurt herself, and in turn caused Jeri's near death experience?" Takahashi summs up glaring at the two men.
"The way your saying it is like your blaming me for all of this..." Tobirama states slightly annoyed as everyone but Kagami glare sharply at him.
"It is your fault!" They yelled while Kagami got them to quiet down by being polite.
"I assume full responsibility for dropping Jeri." Kagami says ready to accept the consequences of the accident. Takahashi's eye twitches once as he smirks that Uchiha swag smirk.
"You know, if you weren't so accepting of the consequences of your actions, I would throw you to the alligators." Kagami nods still ready.
"Takahashi!" Shouts Juliet to her husband, who grimaces knowing he's in trouble.
"Yes dear...?" He asks politely not knowing if his beloved wife was PMSing or not and not wanting to find out.
"If anyone throws them to the alligators it's going to be me." Juleit proclaims shooting an evil glare at Tobirama and Kagami. Takahashi inwardly prays for them while Jeri sweat drops.
Lori thought about what Takahashi had said and nearly chokes on air at what she had heard.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but did you say "other daughter"?" Lori asks unsteadily like she had seen a ghost. Takahashi grinned at Lori with a million dollar smile that all Uchiha seemed to posses.
"Of course! Jeri speaks of you often on phone calls and texts, so does Juliet. Though I have heard you have anger problems and you broke the fish tank while you were...sleep fighting. And you need to work on cursing inside your head at least, plus your attitude. But if they like you then do do I! Plus that's the term for foster child."
Lori paled considerably and contemplates throwing herself over the railing and into one of the alligator feeding pits down below to end all her suffering now. She felt cold metal around her wrist and a snapping sound and looked to see she was...handcuffed. And to Takahashi no less. He gave her a big smile.
"Just in case you decide to try and throw yourself over the railing." He informed and Lori sweat dropps wondering if he could read her mind.
"Well if someone pointed those things out, specifically me doing things I don't remember in my sleep, I would think about throwing myself over the railing too." Takahashi offered and Lori looks to the handcuffs and back to the man. Because of her really small wrists, which are not that far from a 8-10 year olds girl's wrists, she was able to pull her hand out of the cuff by narrowing her hand.
Takahashi looked between Lori's wrist and the cuff. "We need to get you to eat more."
Lori's eye twitched and Jeri began to laugh it up along with Shisui, Itama and Hashirama. Lori blinked and ignored them all instead choosing to look out at the alligators u till something reflects in the air moving her attention towards it.
Could it be...? Thought Lori with an unfamiliar emotion. The first time she's ever felt this weird emotion since her real family... Lori wasn't really in tune with emotions save for sorrow and anger. It was part of her...job.
"Lori." Shisui snapped Lori out of her thoughts by saying her name.
Lori looked to the slightly older teen expecting him to question her but he instead smiled and looked out at the sky with her.
"It's a brilliant shade of blue, isn't it?" Shisui asked seeming to be dazzled by the baby blue sky. Lori gazed at the Uchiha with suspicion before nodding slowly.
"I know you don't trust me. That's ok. It takes time to be able to trust one another, but I want you to be able to depend on me for anything." Shisui said nonchalantly just as he had once said it to Itachi when they were little. Lori looked at the sky once again choosing to ignore the raven haired teens words as nothing more than mere talk coming from a teenage boy. Itachi and Jeri watched this confrontation and Jeri grinned like a cat.
"What are you thinking?" Itachi asks the woman beside him.
"What do you think? Silly Uchiha."
As they all continued to walk Jeri walked side by side with Itachi and Shisui.
"You guys like it here?" She asks looking to the two boys. Shisui was obviously 16 at least, and since Itachi still looked so young he was about the same age as Shisui. That means that it must be Part 1 they were shipped from in the Narutoverse to our world...
"Yeah! It's really cool here, there are many amusements and villages. Er, I mean cities and towns... there is also a lot of technology." Shisui commented as he looked around several times at the surrounding area it was scerene and seeing the alligators all being fed made him happy even if he wasn't a reptile person.
"There are many things here that we don't understand, like the words written on the paper..." Itachi breathes out and the other two recount the words.
"You will go back when the heart allows it."
Just what did that mean? When the heart allows it...? Did it mean go back as in "going back to the afterlife"? Or "going back to their world alive"? They would have to figure this out soon...
"For now, we should try to find out as much about your world as possible. And maybe have some fun while doing it. Like a break from being a ninja." Shisui suggests to which Itachi agrees.
While continuing their walk Itachi noticed aloei staying off to the side and being very cautious about the new people that moved around her, passing her by without a second thought. She seemed very expectant, like she was waiting for something to happen.
Lori looked to her wrists.
They were small, much too small for her age. They looked fit for an eight year old, even thought she was almost 16. However they had their advantages, like being able to better slip out of cuffs and reach things that others cannot.
Itachi had noticed that no matter what, Lori's arms and legs were always covered by something. A jacket, pants, long-sleeved shirts, even when in night clothes. It made him wonder if she was just one of those self conscious people, always cold temperature wise or if there was something else.
"Right Itachi?"
His attention was turned to his best friend. Shisui chuckled lightly with that childish grin.
"Were you lost, Itachi?" Asks the ravenette. Itachi nods as Jeri and Shisui begin to fill him in.
"That's the plan, we are going to get Lori to lighten up!" Jeri promises herself. Itachi nods.
As Lori was walking she couldn't help but feel she was being watched. Either from above or around she wasn't sure. Maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her and nothing was reflected or rather refracted in the sky? Maybe it was the drugs she was taking...
"This is our new home!" Takahashi announces as everyone gets out of the vehicles and stare in awe at the house. It was white two story house with many windows, overlooking the Mississippi River. Takahashi allowed everyone inside and the house was huge. There were five full bathrooms, three half bathrooms, seven bedrooms plus a few guest rooms, a nice living room with a huge kitchen as well. There was also an attic.
On the outside back deck, there was a hot tub and on the inside there was an inside pool that had been built. All in all Jeri was impressed more than impressed.
"Wow dad! This is amazing!" Jeri exclaims hugging her father who hugged her back.
"The person that I worked for allowed us to have this for half the price it would have been. I'm glad you like it!"
Lori quickly noticed that different types of fish were in the pool. There were different colors but what caught her attention was the huge red one.
"Why are there fish in the pool?" Lori asks.
"Well we use pure salt water from the Mississippi River since it's connected to the Gulf Of Mexico. And the previous owner liked to have fish in the pool to make it more, ocean-like." Takahashi answers and Lori nods.
"We'll pick out your rooms!" Juliet exclaims happily and they all set out to do just that.
Jeri walks into a room that is spacious yet not too big and smiles as she begins to unpack her belongings. Shisui, Itama and Itachi bunk together in a room nearby. Tobirama, Hashirama and Kagami, Tajima and Butsuma, Madara and Izuna all bunk in rooms with their respective pairs as well. Lori chooses a room connected to a balcony with someone else's room connected to it as well. She is having her own room away from Jeri meaning she can try to relax now.
Lori walks downstairs, through the hallway that led into the pool room. Sitting down she looks at the fish with what seems like pity. They were held captive, away from their home... Similar to her predicament now. While they were given food and shelter so was she but inside she knew that her and the fish were the same in wanting to go back home.
She didn't understand this show of happiness that the Sanders otherwise known as Uchiha, possessed. She didn't get their ways of showing affection. Saying I love you, hugging, kissing... She didn't understand any of it.
"Your trapped too..." Whispers Lori.
Unbeknownst to Lori Tobirama was spying on her and heard her whisper. He decided he would keep this to himself and decided it best to leave the young female alone.
That man... Takahashi, he looks like him but his voice is softer... Thought Lori.
The next morning rolled around and it was December 15th. Jeri was looking up quotes to try and understand Lori better, quotes about pain and suffering as well as loneliness. So far she found ones that said "She didn't care about herself anymore. But she cared about others. She would go out of her way to save someone, even though she knew she could not save herself. That was he only humanity she had left in herself, other than that all she felt was numb." Another one said. "One smile can start a friendship. One word can end a fight. One look can save a relationship. And one person can change your life." Then there was, "Are you okay? Always the same question. I'm fine. Always the same line."
Jeri frowned wondering if this was exactly how Lori felt at times.
"What's wrong?" Hahsirama asked frowning, his dark eyes showing concern. Jeri smiled sadly.
"I've been trying to understand Lori more... I found some quotes and I'm wondering if this is what she feels... Here." Jeri had them gathered around to see the laptop so that it would be displayed for all to see.
The ninja examined the quotes Lori had just read over and thought about it. Shisui looked very thoughtful about it. Tobirama remembers what Lori had whispered the night before to the fish at the pool and wonders that maybe Jeri is right.
"This one is my favorite though."
A picture appeared on the tv screen with a few pictures shown as bars, the top one had a boy in tears and the second bar had a boy being consoled by his friend. It said, "Sometimes we put up walls, to see who cares enough to break them down!" Jeri then clicked on another quote.
"That makes sense... Remember when she broke down after the coyote attack?" Tobirama suggests and everyone nods remembering that day quite well. Scared the shit out of most of them.
Itachi looks around the room, his eyes scanning the area.
"Where is Lori?"
Everyone was now on a search to find Lori. Itama and his older brothers went to the pool. Tajima and Butsuma checked the kitchen. Madara and Izuna checked the front yard. Kagami, Itachi and Jeri went upstairs.
Itama opened the doors to the 'pool room' and sure enough Lori was there staring at the fish with her back to them.
"There you are!" Itama rushed over to the blonde who seemed to tense slightly as she could feel a fierce set of red eyes on her. Tobirama was now sure she was afraid of him, anyone would be. Well, save for fan girls. Walking over to the blonde all three guys sat down, the youngest one being six was Itama and he grinned at the blonde.
"The fish are pretty aren't they?" Itama asked childishly with such sweet innocence. Lori decided to at least try to entertain the child and faked a smile as best she could without it looking cheesy.
"...Yes." Lori answered looking to the fish as she held her knees to her chest. She wanted more than anything to be free. Not continuing this circle that she was held in.
Meanwhile there were some more news reports about the clowns and that they had made their symbols at various sightings of killings...
1: What age should I make Shisui and Itachi? How far are they apart age wise?
2: What is Lori's job that requires basically no emotions? What does Lori mean by she doesn't understand happiness and this show of love and affection that the Sanders family showed?
3: why did Shisui tell Lori to depend on him for anything, like when he said that to Itachi?
4: Why did Lori pale when Takahashi called her his other daughter?
5: What was reflecting to refracting light in the sky that made Lori feel that weird emotion? What was the emotion?
6: Itachi thinks that Lori is either a self conscious person who doesn't like to show skin, is cold natured, or is hiding something... what do you think?
7: what does Lori mean by feeling trapped? Why did Tobirama not go out to at least sit with her near the pool?
8: What did she mean by "continuing this cycle she was stuck in"?
9: What did you think about the quotes that Jeri found?
10: Why did Tobirama's eyes stare at her fiercely, and why do you think Lori tended up and put on a fake smile for Itama?
Please answer these questions in your own words and leave your own input as well in a review! Thank you so much! Thank you so much for all your support and for the amazing reviews last chapter too! I know some of you want to know more about the killer clowns and we will get to that this chapter! Yay! We will also see how the ninja like being in New Orleans, Louisiana. This took me a long time to write and it will only get better next chapter! Please Review!
Oh and the Sanders' is Jeri's family. They go by Sanders.
