We leave the scene, as do Itachi and Kisame, zooming back to ‘our little sister’, and her young friends. It ahs been two days since we left them, and they are nearing a city.
Kokoro looked along the road as the traffic grew thicker. ‘We’re nearing a town.’
She looked at herself. She looked like a normal, dusty traveler. Then she looked at her three young companions. Although they had washed their clothes, they still looked ragged enough to belong to beggars. In fact, over the last few days they had been on the road, several people had kindly passed coins into the trio’s hands. Needless to say, Shura was completely frustrated, humiliated, and angry.
Currently, he was muttering curses at the fat lady who had strangled him and tried to drag him to her home ‘to fatten up the poor little thing.’
Kokoro tried her best to hide a smirk as she remembered the scene, and shifted Yumi on her hip o she was settled more comfortably. The little girl usually conked out at midday, and Kokoro had taken over the duty of carrieng her.
Luna was sleeping with her, purring as she sank her claws slightly into Kokoro’s hand.
‘Do you ‘mind’?” hissed Kokoro at the pain. ‘Before long, my whole arm will be red!’
Luna only turned the purring up a notch higher, and Kokoro reached over and sneaked her out from Yumi’s gasp.
“Maiko.” She said. “Maiko, would you mind taking Luna?”
Maiko looked up and reached up silently. After days on the road, she had seemed to dried up in the talking department. Kokoro looked at her anxiously, and handed Luna over.
Town sson came in sight, and everyone perked up. Shura stretched, a gleam evident in his eyes.
Kokoro smiled, but inside she was feeling troubled. Money was going to be a problem.
When Kokoro had left, she’d taken her saved u odds and ends, which made to enough to barely support herself and Luna till their destination.
Soon they went arrived in town. Kokoro supposed they were having a festival, there were so many people. It also explained how many people there’ been on the road.
The big banner said something in such cursive writing that Kokoro was unable to decipher it, but she gathered from the conversation’s around them that it was a festival of some sort, given once a year.
Kokoro shook these thoughts from her head, and went determinedly into a hotel to book a room.
The lady behind the counter looked at them, frowning. “Aren’t you a little young to be booking a room?”
“Ah.” Said Kokoro, blushing and looking down at her toes, She looked up hesitantly, her cheeks bright red. “Ma’am, I’m actually 16…It’s a mistake that’s happened so many times, I should be used to it, but-..” Kokoro’s eyes filled with tears most convincingly, but made her look a couple years younger than she actually was.
The lady smiled, and said, “I’m sorry dear, but please come back with you parents.”
They trooped outside dejectedly. “Pathetic.’ Was all Shura said.
Yumi nodded.
Luna, frank as ever said, “That was the most convincing performance I’ve ever seen- if you want to look two!!!”
“Alright, Alright!” Kokoro threw one arm up, the other holding up the little girl. “At least Maiko isn’t criticizing.”
Kokoro looked around. “Maiko?”
The girl was no-where in sight. The crowds seemed to have swallowed her up.
Shura began to look around, looking agitated.
“Maiko!” he yelled. “Maiko!!”
He could hardly be heard over the noise.
Yumi opened her mouth silently, and Kokoro passed her to Shura abruptly.
“Luna’s with Maiko. She should be alright with her with her. Shura, see that hotel?”
She pointed to one nearby. “Get a room there, and wait in the lobby with Yumi. I’ll catch those two and drag them over.”
She bustled away before he could say anything.
Her link to Luna helped her find them almost immediately. They were both standing in front of different shops staring into them.
Maiko was staring wistfully into a clothing shop, and next to her, Luna was staring into- Kokoro sweat-dropped. Seriously? A butcher’s shop.
Kokoro smiled, and gathered them both up, whispering a reckless idea into their ears. Then she scolded them.
@@@
Shura sat in the lobby, holding the keys to a couple rooms. Apparently, the hotel was a popular hotel for traveling ninja, so she was used to strange sights, and gave them a room without any questions.
Yumi was wandering around, up turning ashtrays( much to the horror of the janitor) and generally making herself more of a mess.
At one point, Shura got up and took her away, scared that the cigerette’s would hurt her.
Then she made the dreaded sign. “Bathroom.”
Shura groaned. For the past couple of days, Kokoro had been taking care of that. Now, Shura was back on potty duty.
The number one problem that he faced every time this cropped up was, Which one?
He couldn’t go into the girl’s room, and he didn’t want to scar her forever by taking her into the boys’ room, so he stood there for several seconds, thinking.
Then he went to the lady at the desk and told her his problem.
She (kindly) let him into the employees bathroom.
The scene that followed was nightmarish for Shura, and hilarious to Yumi.
First, she took the keys and attempted to flush them down the toilet.
Second, she attempted to flush him down the toilet.
Third, when Shura was screaming and wiping toilet water from his eyes, she attempted to flush herself down the toilet.
And so on and so forth.
The lady behind the desk had something interesting to listen to.
“Okay Yumi, come on, off with those pants, and onto the toilet. No… Wait… The keys!! What are you-!? Yumi, bad girl. Bad girl! No, no, no, don’t flush!”
*splash*
“Got them! Hey, hey, my head! Blub-blurbburgh-…”
(At this point, the desk lady was concerned, but then-) “Waugh! Pllbrth, pllbrth, gag, gag, Huff huff. Ah. Yumi. Why are you getting into the toilet? Ah no, that’s nasty! Toilet’s are not for bath’s and they are not toys! Get out of there!
*muttering* first you try to drown the keys, then me, then yourself….
Oh no, don’t start crying! Ok, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry sweetie, ok? Now use the toilet, and let’s get out of here.”
*tinkle-flush*
*water running*
When Shura came out, his head and Yumi were both sopping wet. He almost stepped on the desk lady who was rolling on the floor, snorting from suppressed laughter.
“Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want.”
When Kokoro, Maiko, and Luna walked I, they stopped short at the sight of the two. Kokoro’s mouth hung open for a minute or so, before snapping shut, then opening again to say, “Went for a bath?”
“Wrong.” Shura said grumpily, plodding past towards the elevator. “A tinkle.”
When they reached the rooms they stared. It was a normal, two bed room, with a bathroom, rather small, but to them, it was heaven.
Kokoro was the first to break the awed silence. “Alright then, troops! Bathing order goes like this- Yumi, then Shura (for obvious reasons) then Maiko, then me and Luna. Got it? Get it? Good.” Kokoro then gave a bag to Shura and advised him not to open it until he was done showering. He might get his new clothes dirty.
At that, Shura’s face twisted into something that could hardly be called a smile, but was.
Kokoro scrubbed Yumi down, and dressed her in her beautiful new clothes. Maiko had told Kokoro all of Yumi’s favorites, and she had gotten a combo that Yumi was so delighted with, she beamed, and hugged them. If she could, she would have squealed with delight.
The little girl was decked out in a long-sleeved white shirt, embroidered with delicate flowers, with a green vest over it. Her tiny legs were hosts of blue jeans and brand new sneakers.
All in all, it was simple, tough, and perfect for traveling.
Then Shura came out. Maiko had picked out his outfit for him. In Kokoro’s opinion, the clothes were perfect for him.
Shura was wearing a grey hoodie (much like Hinata’s) and dark black pants. Underneath the hoodie was a plain white shirt.
Maiko went next. Luna, actually, had picked out her outfit, and Shura decided to cook,.
Maiko came out, clean and in new clothes, and Kokoro smiled teasingly, “Gosh Maiko, I never thought you’d be such a hottie!” Maiko blushed bright, and Kokoro grinned and ruffled her hair to say the tease was in good faith.
Maiko was wearing a light blue, sleeveless turtleneck. Underneath it was a white, long sleeved shirt, and her pants were dark blue.
Shura grinned, a proper grin. “Heh, this outfit is much better than the ones you pick for yourself! A cat has more fashion sense than you.”
Maiko, who had been looking embarrassed, loosened up, mock frowned and said, “If I barely have any fashion sense, Mister Shura, you have none! Remember that ridiculous-“
The two tossed playful banter back and forth, and Kokoro smiled.
Luna mind said “It seems that everything is all right.”
Kokoro nodded.
That was when they smelled the food burning.
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Chapter notes: Hey! Ok, so I have put up another chapter, right after the first one! (which I put up yesterday..)
Anyways, so, enjoy. Read and Review!
Oh yeah, tell me. Is my writing too dark for kids?