Konahagakure. Early morning. Wednesday. Anko was walking forcefully toward her next hapless victim: a maple tree. Time for a fun pre-class workout. Anko was going to put so many kunai into this tree, it wouldn't know what hit it. Well, not that it would really know. It was a stupid tree (be nice to nature) and a tree couldn't possibly be aware of things like pain... or annoyance.
"Annn~~~~~ channnn~~~~"
"Don't call me that."
"Annn~~~~...chaaannnnn~~~~!"
"Shut up!"
"Tee-hee-hee!"
Stupid Aoi, inventing stupid nicknames for people who didn't want them...
It'd been a week since Aoi showed up. No matter how hard Anko tried, she could neither catch the girl, nor bring someone with her to verify the stranger's existence... nor be granted chance and have someone accidentally show up. Maybe she was going crazy...
Anko stared absentmindedly at the tree. If I could become a tree, I wonder if I would find her less annoying. Not that getting pelted with kunai seems like a fantastic career alternative, but maybe just to become strong enough to not let it bother me anymore...
"I've decided! I want to get even stronger!" Anko monologued. Aoi overheard. Obviously, since the nosy girl was following Anko around like a baby duck. It had nothing to do with the fact that Anko had just shouted so the word was now aware of her decision.
"Yay!" the stranger sang along, in ignorant bliss. "Eat a whole bunch! That's the way to get stronger!"
"Ah! You're right!" Anko sat down and prematurely opened her bento. Aoi did so as well.
~~
About half way through the bento, something struck Anko as strange. Very strange indeed. Where did this bento come from? She hadn't remembered packing one or buying one or carrying one with her to go train. Why was the rice so fragrant and creamy and slightly reminiscent of shrimp? It was like something out of an expensive restaurant. Neither Anko nor anyone Anko knew nor any shop Anko had ever visited before could produce rice as exquisite as this. More importantly, why did the bento have a section of live caterpillars in it? I mean, they were starting to crawl all over the place and being a nuisance. Just like a certain someone. Stupid Aoi, her stupid company was ruining the stupid bento with its stupid caterpillars and its stupid perfect rice...
Anko took a closer look at a grain of "rice" and screamed.
~~
"I'm sorry~~~"
"I hate you."
"I'm super-duper sorry!"
"What part of 'I hate you' don't you understand?! Who eats gross stuff like that?!"
"You just did."
"Aaaugh! I hate you!"
Silent tears.
"Don't cry!"
"I can't help it! An-chan hates me! Waugh!"
"Shut up!"