DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, or...you know what, I can't think of anything. I've already mentioned just about everything in the story that I don't own, which is almost all of the story anyway, so why continue on? Angst!
Michiko tapped her foot impatiently; Deniizu was late. They were supposed to meet up at the Hokage's building, but the younger girl was 15 minutes late.
"Where is she?" Michiko grumbled, glancing at her watch.
"Where is who?" a voice asked and Michiko saw Shino walking towards her.
He had his collar unzipped, and she could see he was smiling.
"Hi, Shino," she said, "I'm waiting for Deniizu; have you seen her?"
"She told me I'd find you here," Shino said, "She's at your apartment."
"Why? What happened?" Michiko asked, already walking home.
"Stay calm, it's nothing serious," said Shino, grabbing her elbow to slow her down.
When Michiko was walking casually beside him, he explained.
"Kiba, Akamaru, Deniizu and I helped a girl out of a problem, and when Deniizu found out that the girl was lost, she invited her to your place."
"Oh, poor girl...how old is she?"
"Twelve like us. But she's very timid, which makes her seem younger. Her name is Pooriin, by the way."
Michiko stumbled, and Shino steadied her with an arm around her shoulders.
"Are you all right?" Shino asked, with a concerned frown.
Michiko tried to smile reassuringly, but her eyes were different.
How could I not see that coming? she thought.
"Why so shocked?" asked Shino, "Do you know her?"
"N-no..." Michiko pushed away from Shino, realizing his arm was still around her, and resumed walking, "C'mon, I want to meet her."
Deniizu shared another stick of Pocky with Akamaru. They were both on the balcony with the four nameless puppies, waiting. Girl and dogs heard the door, and after about ten minutes, Shino and Michiko joined them.
"I see that you were ignored too," Deniizu said, proffering to them some banana Pocky.
"I already got a box," Michiko said, waving a box of chocolate Pocky.
Shino leaned on the rail beside Deniizu, while Michiko tended to the dogs.
"Kiba's certainly taken a liking to Pooriin," Shino observed.
Deniizu rolled her eyes.
"They can't take their eyes off each other," she said, "It's disgusting."
"It is," Shino agreed, and Michiko couldn't help but laugh. And found herself spitting out a black petal.
"Where did that come from?" she exclaimed.
All three students heard a polite cough from the roof of the apartment; they all looked up and saw Itachi. Akamaru herded the other puppies into their box, and stood at the entrance protectively. The missing-nin jumped down lightly from his place, and landed on the rail beside Deniizu.
"Nice to see you again," he said in his low voice, handing a black rose to the girl, "Come with me for a couple hours?"
Deniizu looked from the 17-year-old, to the rose, to Michiko. The older girl was sitting by the dogs, which were behind Shino, and thought a moment before nodding to her friend.
"Sure," Deniizu said, and Itachi freed his hands from his long sleeves to make a seal.
"Don't be out too late," Michiko said, sounding a bit like a mother, "Itachi, take care of her; Deniizu, make sure he doesn't get caught."
Deniizu gave her a small salute, Itachi nodded once, and with a puff of smoke, they were gone. Michiko patted Akamaru and sighed a little. Shino turned and sat beside her.
"What's wrong?" Shino asked, taking a stick of Pocky from her.
"Nothing," Michiko said, biting into her own stick, "That was a happy sigh."
They sat in silence for a little bit, watching the dogs roll around on the balcony floor. Michiko leaned back and closed her eyes. She thought about her closest friend and her favourite cousin, both here with her in this parallel world. She thought about how each of them had someone special to spend time with, apart from each other. Deniizu had her favourite homicidal maniac, and Pooriin had someone who laughed at her corny jokes. And Michiko had Shino. With her small daydreams in mind, Michiko sighed again.
"I love it here..."
Ending of CHEESE!
In the living room, Pooriin was laughing with Kiba.
"No-one else gets that joke!" Kiba exclaimed, "Whenever I tell it to someone, they don't laugh."
"I know! Don't you just hate it when that happens?" Pooriin asked, putting her hands to the side, palms up, like she was shrugging.
As they joked and got to know each other, Pooriin felt so glad on the inside.
I love it here...I belong.
Deniizu and Itachi walked through a forest outside of one of the neighbouring villages. Itachi had his arm linked with hers; they walked in step with each other, discussing what had just happened during their day in low voices.
"Kisame said that I could meet you at least twice a week, so long as it did not interfere with our missions," Itachi said quietly, "If I can't see you, I'll try to leave a note or something."
"That'd be great," Deniizu whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder, "If it's possible, I'll send something back."
"All right."
They walked through the evening, both enjoying the other's company.
Everything's working out...I hope it lasts...maybe it will.
Hey...what happened to Kakashi?
That night, Kakashi sat quietly on the apartment roof. He watched as Shino and Michiko carried the puppies into the house. Using chakra to stick to the wall, he crawled down silently and looked through the balcony's glass door. The guests were leaving the house; Shino and Pooriin were already outside, and Kiba was following close behind, carrying Akamaru. Hurrying back up the wall and across the roof, the elite jounin watched as Shino and Pooriin walked one way, and Kiba and Akamaru in another as soon as they were at the bottom of the stairs.
"Enjoying the view?" a voice said behind him.
Kakashi turned and saw Itachi was there.
He must have already taken Deniizu to the balcony, Kakashi thought.
"What are you doing, Hatake?"
"I'm just making sure that the two girls are safe and sound," he said, with an easy smile, "How are you, Itachi?"
"Just fine."
There was a pause, then Itachi, convinced that Kakashi was doing no harm, prepared to leave.
"I suppose I can trust her with you," the missing nin said, ready to make a seal.
"That's supposed to be my line," Kakashi said, the smile gone.
Itachi merely made his seal and left. Kakashi blinked, scratching the back of his head, and looked around warily. Without a doubt, the Uchiha was really gone.
Interesting, Kakashi thought, getting up, The dangerous nukenin is going to leave them be...Deniizu must be quite a girl. And Michiko...I have never seen someone with so much chakra, next to the demon from twelve years ago...These girls will do well. Very well.
A/N: Yes, I know it is the Ultimate Ending of Cheese.4 kilobytes just looked too short for an ending chapter, that's all. And yes, it's true; 'Portal: Arrival' is over. Let's all be sad for a little bit. (dramatic pause) But no worries, my dear reader; in a few months, type into the search engine 'Portal'. You'll see Deniizu, Pooriin and Michiko again, I promise you!