Chapter Nine
--
After School...
"What are you gonna name your egg?," Nao asked Natsuki as the pair waited for Mai.
"I refuse to have this conversation with you Nao," Natsuki replied.
"I named our egg Egggyy. With three 'g's and two 'y's. So when people pronounce it right it's like they're saying it with an accent."
"You named our egg something stupid without me? How could you do that?!," Mai asked as she wandered over, delivering a smack on Nao's arm.
"I'm sorry Mai, I wasn't aware you had a choice in the matter. I carried this egg for nine whole minutes while you went to collect books from your locker."
"I'm trying to get a proper education in order to be able to properly provide for our egg!"
"How can you guys be my best friends?," Natsuki deadpanned. "Seriously how did that happen?"
--
"Hey guys," Chie said as she sneaked over while looking over her shoulder.
"What's up Captain," Nao greeted, throwing a salute at the girl. "I see you're well this morning with that nervous expression and shifty eyes. Trouble in paradise?"
"Umm... you could say that," Chie replied with a sheepish smile.
"Harada! What are you doing over there with multiple eggs! I never said anything about multiple eggs!," Midori said as she smacked the Coach next to her.
"Oww!"
"Damn you Sakomizu, failing to teach the Captain of your team about being monogamous when engaging in egg raising activities."
On the other side of the Coach another brunette was standing close just so she could also smack him on the head.
"Oww!," he repeated.
"So its your fault Sakomizu-sensei! How could you!," the girl said before storming away.
"Senoh? I'm not even the teacher for any of your classes! That really hurt!," Sakomizu said before he was dragged off to the fields by Midori.
--
"Chie? Don't think I don't see you standing over there!," Aoi called from nearby. "Now tell me why you have so many eggs!"
Chie sweat dropped before shrugging at her friends.
"Sorry guys, gotta run!," she said before handing something to Nao before running off. "Here you go Nao, present!"
The redhead flashed a grin at Mai and Natsuki causing the former to roll her eyes and the latter to groan.
"Eggyy got an adopted twin!," Nao announced.
"Fine but I'm naming that one," Mai said as she looked at the egg.
"Yes dear," Nao agreed before their second egg naming was interrupted.
"Hi Mai," a slightly annoyed voice said from beside them.
"Aoi hey," Mai replied with a smile.
"Is that from Chie?," Aoi asked while pointing at the second egg.
"Uh yeah it sure is," Mai replied causing Aoi to sigh.
"Sorry about that," she said. "I'll take it back to the irresponsible egg bearing dork."
"Here you go."
Nao nodded as she gave the egg to Aoi and pretended to wipe a tear from her eye.
"They grow up so fast," she said causing Aoi to at least smile a little.
Turning back to the group, the brunette walked back as if she forgot to do something. Stopping just in front of Natsuki she smiled beautifully at the girl before pulling her into a tight hug.
"Umm?," Natsuki questioned.
"I know we're not the closest friends yet Natsuki-san but what you're doing is a beautiful thing!," Aoi said while still smiling. "I hope you and Fujino-san have a very happy life ahead together. Raise the twins well!," she finished before walking off.
"Please someone tell me she was joking," Natsuki said.
"I'm trying to decide which scenario would be funnier," Nao replied with a smirk.
--
"Oh my God you people are carrying around the ridiculous things too," Haruka said as she walked over.
"Haruka? You have eggs too? How'd you end up with them?," Natsuki questioned.
"Yeah I thought only our class was being punished by extreme ways with the extreme weirdness," Nao said.
"Thought wrong," the blonde replied. "I throw one party and the entire school gets stuck with this ridiculously outdated egg raising experiment. Plus I heard Kuga and the bubuzuke got engaged."
"What? Did Aoi tell you that by chance?," Natsuki asked.
"Nope someone else did," Haruka replied.
"Oh you heard that one?," Nao said with a snicker.
"One? What 'one'? How many are there?," Natsuki asked in a rather panicked tone.
" The one I heard was that the Fujino's found out about last night and flew them both to some chapel. I heard they were already married," Nao replied.
"I heard that Natsuki actually got Shizuru pregnant and now they're having twins and moving to Kyoto," added Mai causing the group to stare at her.
"Yeah mine was a little farfetched," she said while nodding. "I did hear it in art class though, you can't really blame me."
--
Natsuki shook her head to try and get the many odd thoughts swimming around in it to calm down. Turning to Haruka, she opted for an attempted change of topic.
"Hey Haruka, why is your egg in a perfect little basket?," she asked.
"Tch, like I'd place my egg in some hoodlum box! These are the formative days you know. These days will determine whether mine and Yukino's egg grows up in the correct way or your way."
"Hey I resent that Haruka, I'm that egg's other mother," Mai said while placing her hands on her hips.
Nao nodded.
"Yeah Haruka. Mai is the half mother of our egg so I'm sure it's at least gonna be able to cook when it grows up."
Haruka blinked at the girl.
"You do know that if it grows up it'll be a chicken right idiot? You know that right? Mai why isn't your partner saying anything?"
"Wait I'm thinking," Nao said. The statement caused Haruka to take a step away from her and Natsuki prepare her 'smacking' arm.
"Mai why are you letting the thinking happen?," Natsuki questioned. "Everyone knows there's a job for every person in the group. Haruka's the yeller. Nao is not the thinker. The rules are quite simple."
"Look Natsuki I don't know what you think is going on here but only you got married because you made Shizuru pregnant. I'm not Nao's wife so I'm not responsible for her when she says the freaky things."
--
"You know I can't even believe I let this conversation take place around me," Natsuki replied causing Nao to smirk once again.
"Natsuki is mothering an egg with Shizuru. She's acting annoyed cos she's happy," the redhead revealed.
"Congratulations Kuga," Haruka said with a sincere nod. "That's some progress at least. I see your egg is dressed in purple."
Natsuki sighed.
"Shizuru said that purple was both a calming and stimulating colour that would be best for egg growth and development."
"So she lied to you so she could dress it up huh?," the blonde asked.
"Yeah I think so."
"What's its name?"
"Sorry Haruka but I already said that I wasn't gonna have this conversation," Natsuki replied.
"It's an unnamed Kuga-Fujino the third," Nao declared with authority.
"Kuga-Fujino? Why is it the third?," Natsuki questioned.
"I included your twins that Shizuru is currently carrying," Nao replied with a straight face.
"I did not make Shizuru pregnant last night."
"When did you do it then?"
"Oh my God Nao shut up."
"Anyway its Kuga-Fujino because Fuga and Kujino sound ridiculously lame," Nao said ignoring the 'shut up' statement and 'shut up' look Natsuki was giving her.
"Nao..."
"Although if you had the twins and wanted them to grow up with horrible childhood memories you could name them Fuga and Kujino Kuga-Fujino."
"Nao why would I want that for my children?"
"Yours and Shizuru's children Natsuki. Don't take all the credit."
"Nao!"
"What is it Kuga-Fujino Natsuki?"
"Why are you doing that?"
"Doing what Kuga-Fujino Natsuki?"
"We're not married Nao shut up."
"Ah I hate it when I spread the wrong rumours," Haruka suddenly said.
"You what the rumours?"
"Umm nothing, the redhead named your children something weird," Haruka reminded quickly causing Natsuki to turn back to Nao.
"So your dumb twins would be named Tokiki and Yukiha Tokiha-Yuuki," the blue haired threw back.
"And that is why I'm never marrying Nao like Natsuki married Shizuru," Mai said.
Natsuki sighed.
"No, I didn't marry Shizuru."
"Ara only because Midori-Sensei refused this morning and Natsuki said nothing to argue with her," Shizuru said as she walked up to the group.
--
"Shizuru!," Natsuki said, unsure of why she blushed immediately at the sight of the girl. 'Shizuru is still so gorgeous. I can't believe people are spreading such rumours about us I hope she's not offended...'
Letting her eyes stray to Shizuru's stomach where the girl had her arms crossed Natsuki frowned a little.
"The twins are fine Natsuki, you don't need to look so worried," Shizuru said teasingly as she followed Natsuki's line of vision causing the girl to blush more.
"So you heard those rumours too..." Natsuki said while Shizuru just nodded and gave a small smile to show they did not bother her.
"I hope Natsuki took good care of our egg while I was collecting our things. And that like our twins, she is doing well."
"Shizuru these people are bugging me."
"Hey wait a minute. Shizuru is 'Shizuru' and we're 'these people'?!," Nao asked as she pretended to be offended.
"I don't even know you anymore Kuga-Fujino Natsuki."
"Nao!," Natsuki yelled out as Shizuru giggled at Natsuki's new name.
Nao winked at Shizuru and the girl giggled.
--
"Alright enough weirdness Nao," Natsuki said with finality.
"Fine fine, we have to talk about who's gonna eggsit anyway," Nao replied with a shrug. "Natsuki and I have soccer practice so can you guys do it?"
"What? We have a cheer squad meeting," Mai said while Shizuru and Haruka nodded.
"Look girls, Natsuki and I have to go earn the school trophies! You guys just sit around and gossip all day! The egg-rearing should be done by the cheerleaders," Nao said. "Quick Natsuki, tell them."
"I agree," Natsuki said quietly as she refused to meet Shizuru's eyes.
"Oh do you now?" Shizuru asked amusedly.
"Yes I do," Natsuki said, being prompted to raise her eyes defiantly by Shizuru's tone. "...probably."
"So Natsuki does not want to take care of our egg?"
Nao shook her head at her friend.
"Natsuki we're gonna be running around and stuff if we drop the eggs, they'll die. Do you want that to happen? No, I don't think you do. You don't want the eggs to die Natsuki."
"I don't want our egg to die Shizuru," Natsuki mirrored.
"But Natsuki is just willing to cast our egg aside while she goes and runs around?"
"You're not casting it aside Natsuki you're just suggesting that Shizuru take care of the egg."
"Shizuru I'd really like it if you took care of our egg today."
"But as the head of the cheerleading squad, I have responsibilities to deal with. It would make me very happy if Natsuki could eggsit today."
"Kuga..."
"Natsuki..."
"I'll take care of the egg Shizuru."
--
"God dammit you're whipped," Nao said as she and Natsuki parted ways with the cheerleaders.
"I'm not the only one carrying an egg Nao," Natsuki retorted.
"At least Haruka didn't make us take care of her egg."
"I don't even think she'd let us take care of her egg's basket thing."
--
"Wow that was so impressive!," Mai said to Shizuru as the cheerleaders made their way to the field.
Shizuru smiled at the compliment as Haruka nodded.
"Yeah that wasn't bad. They don't call the bubuzuke Kuga-Fujino Shizuru for nothing."
--
Meanwhile...
Nao and Natsuki had reached the soccer team and were about to join the others with stretches when the Coach walked over and smacked Chie lightly on the head with a rolled up news paper.
"Captain Harada, do I even want to know why the majority of my team are carrying around eggs to soccer practice?"
Chie shrugged while rubbing the new sore spot.
"Cheerleaders are formidable opponents Coach," she said. "It couldn't be helped."
Sakomizu sighed as he let his eyes graze over the members of his team. Letting them settle on Nao and Natsuki, he heaved a sigh.
"Even you two huh," he said as Nao nodded.
"Kuga-Fujino Shizuru made us do it," the redhead said.
"You have an egg with the head cheerleader?," Sakomizu asked with raised eyebrows.
"Me? No way," Nao denied quickly. "It's Natsuki who married her. Hence the combined double barrel last name. Don't ask her about their twins yet though Natsuki gets angsty."
"Harada I need confirmation of the newly acquired information."
"Sir yes sir," Chie said as she stood and winked at Natsuki. "It seems one of our newest players is indeed mothering an egg slash engaged slash married slash having actual twins with Head Cheerleader Fujino slash Kuga-Fujino."
"Thank you Harada, that was scarily informative as always."
"All in the name of school activities Coach," Chie replied before sitting down.
" One of these days this school is gonna get sued...," Sakomizu mumbled. "So the rumours are true. Congratulations on your marriage Kuga-Fujino. I hope the twins grow up to be intelligent and healthy."
Natsuki sighs in defeat.
"Alright everyone except Kuga-Fujino get ready for drills. Kuga-Fujino, you go wander over to your wife and tell her to stop jumping around like that. It can't be good for the twins."
--