After having worked their way through the forested areas and jumping down onto solid ground, the group continued on foot towards their destination: the supply compound located somewhere inside a dilapidated city.
Well, dilapidated didn't even cover it. "Skyward" City reminded her of what the Big Apple might look like after forty years after being left behind. The buildings' windows were eerily empty and they stood out against the stark sky that was swiftly beginning to cloud up. It looked like it might rain. They slowly made their way through the different districts until they came to a tunnel like opening with navy fabric overhang that fluttered in the slowly building wind.
"This is it." Sasuke said matter of fact.
"It's sketchy." Suigetsu said in reply. It looked like Sasuke was about to say something else, but Kate cut in.
"Shush. If you knew what was in here you wouldn't say that."
The group grew quiet and they all stared at her, primarily Sasuke, but then he shook his head and said, "Let's go.
- - - - -
The corridor seemed to stretch on forever. The pipes in the ceiling were the only thing that seemed to change (some jutted off into walls, others just ended abruptly), but that was very rare. The sound of their footsteps echoed along the halls like whispers.
"Jeez, I never knew we had a hideout in such a wasteland." Suigetsu said, while he kicked a loose piece of metal with his toe.
Sasuke seemed to pause, but he continued walking without looking back.
"This place has nothing to due with Orochimaru. It's a munitions store that my clan used to use."
That shut up all comments it seemed. Of course, Kate thought to herself, it was obvious no one wanted to be on Sasuke's bad side and therefore no one commented on his clan or anything related to it. She made a mental note to keep that in mind.
They slowly made their way through the tunnel with a few comments between Karin and Suigetsu from time to time. The corridors would split sometimes and Sasuke would lead the way down a different path, but all in all it was endless.
"It's like a fucking maze in here..." Suigetsu said, pulling out his water to slurp on.
"And it's irritatingly stifling." Karin finished for him.
"You're welcome to leave!" A new voice broke out. It seemed soft, but it echoed throughout the hallway.
The group turned and a small smile broke out on Sasuke's face. There on the ground behind them were two small cats. They were dressed in what appeared to be tiny kimono style shirts with small white bows keeping the fabric in place. There were Kanji symbols on their foreheads, but Kate couldn't read them.
"It's been a while, Denka, Hina."
The cat's replied by bowing slightly.
"I knew it. It was that Sasuke boy." Denka said with a smirk (or so it seemed, Kate wasn't sure if cats smirked).
"So what are you here for?" Hina asked quietly, a soft meow following the sentence.
"Weapons and medicines, as well as some other things. We're preparing for the battle ahead."
Karin looked dumbfounded at seeing talking cats, while Suigetsu just grinned like a kid at Christmas.
"Wow, talking cats!" He said. He bent down and attempted to pet Denka, but the caramel brown cat hissed and made to claw him. "Whoa, calm down kitty!"
"They're ninja cats. Don't put your hand out to them like that. They'll rip it to shreds." Sasuke spat out.
"I wish you'd tell us this stuff beforehand." Suigetsu spat back. Karin just smirked at that, while Kate couldn't help out a giggle. The whole group seemed to lighten up at that.
"Did you bring us a gift?" Hina asked, looking up at Sasuke.
Sasuke seemed to expect this and his quickly pulled a small white bottle out of his white kimono top.
"I brought a bottle of catnip." He said, a small smile seeming to pull from the corners of his mouth.
As quick as anyone could blink Hina was behind Sasuke, the bottle in between her jowls.
"Much appreciated," she meowed out.
"I'll lead you to Grandma Cat." Denka said, skittering ahead of the group towards a bend in the path.
And so, they followed them.
- - - - -
As far as Kate was concerned, this was nothing like the manga or anime. Hell, this wasn't like anything she'd ever seen before. How could one place hold so many cats? This woman clearly went beyond crazy cat lady.
The room consisted of a high ceiling and many shelves. What was clearly the "lucky cat"* sculpture was hung everywhere. Paper lanterns hung from the ceiling, while a large curtain to the left wall hid shelves upon shelves of clothes, armor, munitions, and food. Many multi-colored rugs scattered the floor, where hundreds of cats played, ran, meowed, slept, etc. In the center of the room, an old woman sat hunched over, surround by yet another group of cats. Beside her, demurely sitting in a kneeled position, was a younger woman, whom Kate assumed was her daughter or granddaughter. Books and bottles were piled everywhere to the point where cats could prance all the way to the ceiling if they climbed them. All in all, Kate was reminded of her old bedroom before she'd left: utter chaos.
"Welcome back, Sasuke. It's been far too long." The old woman spoke up. In Kate's opinion her voice could rival that of a cat coughing up a hairball. Her long gray hair was so wavy and frizzy it stretched out into the air, untangled and scratchy looking. The only thing that tamed it away from her face was a headband with fake cat ears on it. Her nose was painted and fake whiskers we drawn over her cheeks and wrinkles. To Kate it seemed silly, but perhaps to the old woman it was some sort of "cat tribal ritualistic paint" or something similar.
"They came here to get supplies, Grandmother Cat." Hina spoke out. She easily sauntered up to the old woman and dropped the bottle from her mouth into the woman's waiting hand. "They brought cat nip."
At the word the cats in the whole room went silent.
"How pleasing," the old woman whispered to Hina, whom she began to pet. She then looked up to the other cats, "We'll open it later with our tea. Back your own business. Now," she began again, looking up to the group before her, "What do you need?"
Sasuke spoke up first.
"We'll need food packs to last a few months, a few weapons replaced, and clothes for these two." He said, referring to Jugo and Kate. "I'll also need a supply kit similar to the ones my father used to use." A small moment of quiet, but tense, understanding passed between the old woman and Sasuke.
"I see." She said more to herself than to the room.
"I'll see about dressing these two, grandmother." The girl sitting next to the old woman said. The old woman nodded in reply and then began to talk to the cats, instructing them on where to run throughout the building to get the supplies they'd need.
Suigetsu went about finding which cats weren't able to talk and then swiftly went about playing with them. Karin simply stood and tried to avoid them.
Meanwhile, the young granddaughter moved towards the curtained area and started going through boxes of clothing, looking for things that would fit either Jugo or Kate. After going through several boxes, she finally found a single pair of pants that would fit Jugo's waistline. Although he wasn't fat (he was well built and muscled) he was large in stature, nearly reaching the ceiling. Now that Kate looked at him, she knew he could easily be 6'8''. Compared to her measly 5'4'' he was a giant. The girl was now scrambling to find a shirt big enough.
"Ne, grandmother! There aren't any shirts big enough!"
Kate didn't even listen to the grandmother's reply. If she remembered correctly, she knew what conversation had just taken place between the cat woman and Sasuke. He'd just told her... about Itachi.... Kate stood there, completely indecisive. Should she tell him? She knew what happened between the brothers... she knew about Madara... but what if it changed everything? And what if Sasuke didn't believe her?
"Keito."
What if everything she knew was wrong? So far it hadn't been, but there had been some things that had been different. Like her... she was different. Did her being here change the course of events that would-
"KEITO!"
She felt herself being shook. Snapping back to reality she saw Jugo infront of her, his arms seemingly squeezing her shoulders. He must have been the one shaking her. He looked worried...
"Keito, are you... okay?" He asked hesitantly.
"I... I think so. What happened?"
"She asked you a question and you didn't answer... it was as if you weren't even here."
"Oh. I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm here..." she said softly. She turned to the girl as Jugo let go of her. "I'm sorry. What was your question?"
"Well," the girl said, her face looking perplexed and her fingers reaching to twist her hair, "It seems your so small... none of our shirts or pants would fit you. I'm not sure what to dress you in. The curtain worked fine for your friend here, but... you..."
"I'm can't be that small, right?" Kate said, laughing a little. She looked at the girl and then realized that she was shorter than her. Much shorter. Just... just how short was she compared to these Narutoverse people? She looked around and noticed that everyone, even Karin, was at least a foot taller.
"Well, you sure look short to me," Suigetsu said evenly, snorting under his breath, "Might as well be a kid."
"Hey!" Kate snapped back, pointing a finger at him, "I'm NOT short! And I am NOT a KID!"
"Whoa there tiger!" Suigetsu said with a whistle, "Don't go beating on me! You'll turn into a hellcat like this one over here!" he said, gesturing towards Karen who proceeded to slap him in retaliation.
"Stop it." Sasuke said, glaring at them as he rolled up a small satchel of bottles and books. "Grandmother Cat, do you have any kimonos from when the families used to stay here?" He asked. The old woman looked thoughtful for a second before she nodded. She slowly, and with what appeared to be a great amount of pain, stood and slowly began to walk. The cats seemed to part like the sea as they let her walk by. She walked behind yet another curtain and was gone for several minutes. Finally, after what felt like an awkward amount of time, she came out with a wooden box that was embedded with the familiar Uchiha Crest: the red and white fan.
"I've had this since the last time you visited... since the last time your mother was here. Believe it or not, Mikoto was of similar stature. She left a few of her kimonos here but after so much time a few of the moths and cats got to them. They were torn and lost. But this one... I saved this one. I'm sure you remember it Sasuke. She wore it every Spring and that last Spring you came here she wore it too. Why don't you try it on?" She asked, finally turning to Kate.
Now, Kate had never worn a kimono before. She'd always dreamed of wearing one and being beautiful, sitting under a cherry blossom tree and drinking tea demurely like the geisha. But of course, she was American through and through and the time never came. Until now, it seemed. She hesitantly made her way over to the old woman and gently took the box from her.
"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to take something of such great value from-"
"Wear it with pride. I'm sure she would be proud of you wearing it. You look so much like her..."
Kate was struck with surprise. Since when did she look like Mikoto Uchiha? Wasn't she thin and pale and dark haired? Wasn't she elegant and sweet? Now, Kate didn't know much, but one thing she did know is that she wasn't any of those things.
Before she had any time to argue the granddaughter had come behind her and moved her to an area without cats. She'd reached into Kate's hands and taken the box from her grasp. Before Kate knew it the kimono was released from the confines of the wood and the beautiful fabric shone. And beautiful it was. It was a pale pink with tiny white blossoms stitched into it around the collar and the sleeves. The obi was as perfect a teal as ocean waves, although it was far lighter due to age. It was stitched with colorful koi fish that leapt and bound over the fabric. A tiny pair of sandals and a small peach colored purse were also in the bottom of the box.
"Oh, wow!" Kate couldn't help but sigh out, "It's more beautiful than anything I've ever seen! Sasuke! You're mother had such exquisite taste! I hope I get to meet her when I die!" Kate's eyes were as big as saucers. How could she have said that?! She quickly turned around and covered her mouth with her hands.
"Ah! I'm so sorry Sasuke! I didn't mean it rudely!" She quickly bowed, (wasn't that how the asians did it?) and then quickly stood back up to see him looking at her. Not scowling, or angry, or even smiling, just... looking at her.
"Ahem, well, why don't we get you dressed in this?" the granddaughter spoke hesitantly. She gestured Kate towards another curtain and the two went behind it.
- - - - -
Not more than fifteen minutes later the duo walked out. The granddaughter came first, and finally, out came Keito. Sasuke couldn't believe his eyes. They'd brushed her long dark hair and braided it back into a long braid that hung over her shoulder. The kimono fit her well, and she wore it elegantly. She gently held the little purse in her small hands, and then, he saw the sandals. Never, in all his years, had he ever met a woman with his mother's feet. And here was this lab experiment child, walking in her shoes! To Sasuke, it was like a stake to the heart... for here was his mother seemingly reincarnated. She even had that same, blooming smile... it would start small and hesitant but then eventually bloom into a full fledged smile that would be contagious. How...? How was he supposed to react to this?
Suigetsu and Jugo were clapping and Karin was huffing and fuming at the attention Keito was receiving. Keito did a little bow, her smile now beaming, and then she twirled in place, the colorful pinks and teals and fish swirling around her. And then Sasuke saw it: the Uchiha fan, neatly stitched into the collar. Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. He wouldn't take it.
"That's it. We're leaving. Grab the cloaks and get packed." He spat out. He hastily grabbed his own cloak and walked out of the building at a fast pace.
- - - - -
The room was entirely quiet. Kate was honestly worried she'd offended Sasuke somehow, but didn't seem to affect the rest of the group.
"What crawled up his butt and died?" Suigetsu asked, while slurping away and picking up his cloak.
"Be quiet you! How dare you say that about Sasuke!?" Karin said, infuriated and all ready to pick a fight with Suigetsu.
"Ugh, this again?" Kate asked out loud.
"So it would seem." Jugo answered.
And so they packed up and filed out where Sasuke had walked out.
