35 Return to "Normal"…?

Naeko Makes Up Her Mind, the Odd Couple Goes Public, and Takeshi's Wrath Blooms.

"Naeko?" Even in her half-drowsing state Naeko heard the insistent voice but chose to ignore it, instead rolling onto her side with a dismissive noise and hoping the visitor would get the hint. Instead of going away, though, the person kicked her lightly in the backside and added, "Get your butt out of bed and take a bath. Natsuko says you're starting to stink and not in a good way."

The girl snorted and muttered, "The little twerp doesn't have to share a room with me if she doesn't want to. I'm not going anywhere."

"Well, either you move or I'm coming back in five minutes with a bucket of cold water and the brush your mom uses on the kitchen floor." A deep sigh. "You can choose to be miserable, but please don't afflict the rest of us with the side effects. We've got enough to deal with right now." When this did not get a response, there was silence for a moment, then, "Fine, I guess it's the bucket."

Rolling her eyes, Naeko sat up and tossed the sheets aside. "Don't bother, Dad. You've made your point."

"Good girl." Once Naeko had risen and started gathering her things for the bath, her father turned to leave. "When you feel up to it, we can get started on some training."

This gave Naeko pause, and she looked at her father with troubled eyes. "Don't waste your time, Dad. You've seen what I can do – a whole lot of nothing. It's all I can do to stay alive in combat, and when I do kill someone… I just can't handle it. I freeze, and then someone has to save me. What good is that?"

"It's better than where you were a year ago, when no one was sure if you'd survive your little accident." Satoshi gave his daughter what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "We all have to start somewhere, Naeko. Don't give up yet."

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"It is strange not to be under my uncle's thumb anymore," mused Kotori as she finished toweling off her hair, having taken a leisurely shower after some light exercise in the morning. She had been released from the hospital the day previously and now set about trying to establish a new routine to fit the new lifestyle accorded her by her promotion. "I have enough money set aside in savings that I can go for a while without taking any missions, which is a good thing considering I still haven't gotten back up to speed yet. It's ironic – using that critter's strength takes more out of me in the end than if I'd continued on my own resources."

I resent being called a 'critter', the Nekomata complained, stirring into sleepy awareness. And if it hadn't been for my help back there, your pretty-boy freakazoid teammate would have killed you. You would be nothing in combat without me, you know that?

"And you wouldn't get any action without me, so don't even start." Kotori set her towel aside long enough to tie her hair back into a messy knot, then resumed drying her body. "Remember, you only get a week out of each month. No more stunts like you pulled last time – my uncle is getting suspicious."

Let him be. He can't prove anything unless he starts prying, the demon retorted smugly. And I think he's too busy being skeeved out by the idea of you actually having an intimate life to look too closely into the matter.

"Whatever." Donning her bathrobe, Kotori then went upstairs to her bedroom to get a fresh change of clothes and plan her course of action for the day. After putting on her usual neutral shades, her eyes fell on the green flak vest that her uncle had bought for her in a rare fit of sentimental generosity and she sighed. "I guess I'll have to get it tailored," the girl grumbled as she remembered her previous attempts to put on the vest and fasten it shut, successful until the zipper reached her bustline. "Maybe I can convince Naeko to do it…"

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After finishing her bath and making herself presentable, Naeko ate an early lunch and wandered down to the tailor shop on the ground floor to see if her mother needed any help. Mrs. Kurogata was pleasantly surprised to see her daughter up and about but wasted no time in setting Naeko to work on a number of small orders that had been placed since the re-opening of the shop. She had just finished patching a pair of pants when the bell on the shop door chimed announcing a visitor. Her face fell when she saw that it was Kotori bearing a green bundle that she could only guess what it was. "Hello, Tori-chan. Nice to see you out of the hospital."

"From the tone of your voice, it sounds like you wish I were still in it," was the dry remark, Kotori crossing to the counter and unloading her burden. "And I hate to come across as an ass, but I was wondering if you could alter this. My uncle bought it for me as a sort of congratulations – an act of generosity he normally only reserves for his romantic pursuits – and I can't get it to fit. It won't zip past my chest."

Naeko snickered, setting her current work aside and picking up the flak vest to see what she could do with it. "I guess that's because they never anticipated a kunoichi stacked like a brick house wearing one of these when they designed them." She then glanced back up at the other girl, making mental notes of measurements that would be applied during the task. "Um, I hate to say this, but have you considered binding your chest when you wear this?"

This merited an eye roll from Kotori. "I already do, and if I were to tie myself any tighter I swear I'd be crushing my internal organs." Glaring down at the anatomy in question, she added, "And the bitch of it all is that this is only going to get worse as I get older…"

"Whoever designed you had a sick sense of humor," muttered Naeko. "It must take immense agility and practice to move like you do when you fight and not have them get in the way."

"Tell me about it." Kotori paused, then asked, "So, how are you holding up? I heard you've been almost catatonic for the past week."

"Some of us aren't natural-born killers, Tori-chan." Naeko finished up a set of calculations in her mind and fished out a piece of scratch paper to write them out on as well as some other notes for altering Kotori's vest. "Tell me, how do you do it and still call yourself human?"

There was a long silence from Kotori, then a sigh. "In my case, I've stopped trying long ago. For someone like you, though – you'll have to learn to put your humanity aside when it's time to kill. It's either their death or yours, Naeko, and you'll have to accept that. When it's all over, don't dwell on it. You'll turn ugly inside if you do."

Naeko looked up from her calculations with an alarmed expression. "But you're not – " Seeing her former teammate's expression turn dark, she quickly shut her mouth and went back to her figuring. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault that I was raised the way I was." Kotori cleared her throat awkwardly, signaling a change of subject. "Don't let recent events get you down. Take this time to practice and then next time around show everyone what you're really made of." Forcing a smile, the redhead continued, "I mean, come on – in spite of your so-called faults, you made it through the invasion! From now on you're above anyone's stupid little mind games… including your own. Take care of yourself, and I'll see you around." Tossing off a mock salute, Kotori exited the tailor shop and left Naeko to her own tangle of confused thoughts.

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That's the tenth nasty look I've gotten today, and it's not even noon yet, Taiki mentally muttered as he paid for his groceries and went back out onto the street. Just what the hell is up with these people? "Looks a lot like him. Maybe they're related…" came another mutter, gone before Taiki could track the source. Pausing in front of a shop window, the youth compared his reflection with the shadowy memory he had of the pale-skinned man whom he'd dealt with the week previously. That one was white like a corpse, and those eyes… like a snake. I'm not that creepy, am I? There may be a slight resemblance, but it's not like we're blood-bonded.

A light poke on the arm made him jump, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it was only Kotori. "You look the same way you did in the last window, Taiki," the girl grumbled, hooking her arm around his and squeezing lightly. "You still haven't gotten rid of that habit, have you?"

"I can't help it if I've been blessed in the looks department," Taiki replied glibly, trying not to let any of his earlier agitation show and instead giving Kotori a quizzical look for her unusual display of affection. "So what's got you so cheerful today?"

Remaining attached to Taiki as he resumed walking, Kotori matched her steps to his and rolled her eyes in feigned disgust. "Someone has to be the ray of sunshine in this place. Naeko's been the poster child for antisocial neurosis this past week, and you look like you just swallowed a bug. One might in turn wonder what's wrong with you."

Taiki noticed another group of passerby eyeing him oddly and nudged his companion. "Ask them. They seem to be the ones with the problem."

The redhead turned her gaze upon the ones Taiki had pointed out and scowled at them. "Screw off, all of you. It's not like any of this is his fault, so get a life!" If there was any further protest to be made, the complainers thought better of it at least for the moment. Smiling sweetly up at Taiki, Kotori gestured that they should continue on their way. Something said just on the lower ranges of audible sound made her jerk to a halt, and with ice cold eyes she detached her arm from that of her companion and turned to face the one who'd voiced this comment. "So I'm a demon-spawn of Kirigakure, huh? What does that matter to you? I helped save this place – next time I'll let you die, asshole."

Satisfied that her point had been made, Kotori then looped her arm back through Taiki's and the pair resumed their stroll. Once they were out of earshot, Taiki burst out into open laughter. "Gods above and below, you really do know how to make a scene."

Kotori grinned fiercely and stretched up on her toes to whisper in Taiki's ear, "You haven't seen anything yet, sweetheart," before kissing him on the cheek. In normal conversational tones she added, "Meet me at seven tonight and we'll go out to dinner. Sound good?"

"Sounds great," Taiki replied, shaking his head with a wondering smile as Kotori once again separated herself from him and trotted off on her own agenda.

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"I'm above everyone's mind games – what did she mean by that?" Naeko wondered later that afternoon as she sorted through the rack of finished orders due for delivery. When a few more moments of mental consideration yielded no answers, she turned her attention back to work. "An order of aprons for the Ichiraku, embroidered with the names of the shop and respective employee… huh, Teuchi-san must be feeling extravagant…" She checked the items off of her list and put them in her delivery basket before moving on to the next. "And what's this – a new dress for Ayame? I wonder if her dad knows what's going on."

Taking a few moments to wrap the dress in tissue before adding it in with the aprons, Naeko made sure that there were no more deliveries to be made before stepping out. "Looks like this is all for today. That's good – I'll need all the time I can get to work a miracle on that vest." Whistling a quiet, cheerful tune under her breath, Naeko then set out for the Ichiraku with deliveries in hand. It was neither a long nor a difficult walk, but it took the girl about twice as long as usual seeing as she was lost in thought as she traveled. Illumination finally hit perhaps five feet short of her destination, the flash of insight startling her enough that she nearly dropped the delivery basket. "That's it! She meant that I don't have to be afraid anymore, and not to doubt myself. Though why she couldn't just come out and say it straight, I'll never know - "

The sound of a voice raised in complaint from inside the ramen shop caused Naeko to blink as she realized who was seated there. "Fourths? Naruto, I thought you said you were going to stop at thirds…"

"But I need the extra energy for my training, Iruka-sensei! Pretty-please?"

"God, he's here," Naeko mumbled, unconsciously stepping back a pace. "I can always come back later, it's not like I can't come up with some excuse…" Tightening her grip on the basket, she shook her head in quick denial. "No, I can't chicken out. Besides, this might just be the chance I've been looking for!" Flicking back the curtain at the entrance to the shop, Naeko managed a pleasant smile to all present in spite of the nervousness that set her stomach trembling.

"Welcome, Naeko-chan!" Ayame returned the younger girl's smile, adding, "You've come by with the orders, I see. Well, I suppose I can take care of this while these two gentlemen figure out what they're going to do about their bill." This last was said with a brief stern look to the duo at the counter, Naruto doing his best to look innocent while Iruka nervously tallied the scant contents of his wallet. "You do have all of it, don't you?"

"Of course," replied Naeko, keeping an eye on the others while she continued her transaction. "And might I say that you have excellent taste? Simple, yet elegant."

The waitress blinked and then blushed when she realized what Naeko was getting at. "Oh. Thank you, and here's the payment." After handing a paper envelope to Naeko and stashing the delivery items under the counter, Ayame turned her attention back to her customers. "Well?"

Sighing, Iruka began counting out a stack of bills from what remained in his wallet. "I think we're going to have to stop at thirds today, seeing as I don't get paid for another week…"

This is it – my chance! Naeko cleared her throat discreetly and interjected, "Don't worry about it this time. I'll take care of it, with enough for another bowl if you want."

"Are you sure about that?" Ayame whispered, showing her the itemized bill with the figure circled at the bottom. "Do you even have that kind of money?"

"Positive," Naeko whispered back, inwardly wincing at the damage she would be doing to her savings but forcing herself to shrug it off. "It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make." Ignoring the incredulous looks given her, Naeko fished out the requisite money from her own wallet and set it on the counter, then bowed once politely before making good her exit. Smooth…

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Seven o'clock in the evening found Kotori putting the finishing touches on her appearance, smoothing out unwanted wrinkles in a newly-acquired skirt and sleeveless blouse and making sure that nothing else was out of place. She then dashed to answer the polite tap on the front door, blinking when she saw a sharply-dressed Taiki waiting with a single flower in hand. "Um, I just said for you to meet me for dinner. Floral arrangements weren't requested…"

"Maybe not, but I figured some part of you might appreciate it." On an impulse Taiki snapped the long stem off of the flower and reached out to tuck the blossom into Kotori's hair above her ear. "You know, the part of you that invited me out on a date and actually got dressed up for it. Very nice, by the way. Now, shall we go?"

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"I can see you're still just as dense as you were when you worked back at the Academy, Takeshi." The speaker, an acquaintance of the jounin and likewise aged in his mid-to-late twenties, poured himself another cup of sake and sipped at it thoughtfully before continuing. "Can't you tell that those students of yours are trouble?"

Takeshi snickered and finished off his own drink. "And I can see you still display a talent for stating the obvious. No wonder you're still working at the Academy." He snared an appetizer from the tray at his elbow and put it into his mouth, chewing briefly as he considered his next words. "And those two aren't my students anymore. I can only act in an advisory role from this point on, unless I'm assigned to work a mission with them. You should know that."

The other man rolled his eyes. "Point taken – but you should still be concerned about their behavior! I saw your niece hanging on that pretty boy like a winter jacket, and when someone was daring enough to correct her for it, she told them to screw off and called them an asshole."

This at least merited a shrug. "I've never known Kotori to be tactful…" A suspicious eye-narrowing. "Wait, you said she was hanging all over him?"

A nod of confirmation. "I was there, I saw it. She also kissed him on the cheek and invited him out to dinner tonight, and he didn't say no! In fact, they should be out right now."

Slamming his hands down on the table, Takeshi pushed himself up from his seat and moved for the door. "Tell them to put this on my tab – I've got business to take care of. Hopefully Ayame-chan has a nice, sharp, big knife I can borrow…"