Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 33

Chapter 33: It's Going To Be Fine 
February 23, 2030 
"....." 
"I know it's hard to look at, Mama. It's a giant, bitter memory for sure." Sakuya said. She and her mother, along with Sahir and Kenneth, were in front of the house they once resided in. 
"Just the one?" Lily questioned. 
"Honestly I can't remember a point in time where it wasn't horrific. It's all one continuous stream of hopelessness." Sakuya answered. 
"Just looking at this place gives me the creeps. I can't believe y'all lived here for eight years." Sahir said. 
"Between the history of trauma and its current dilapidated state, it's difficult to imagine anyone living here now. We certainly have our work cut out for us." Kenneth added. 
"So what exactly's the plan, ladies?" 
"I've got a bunch of cleaning supplies in the car. The moving crew's already come in and removed all the old furniture, so it's just a matter of getting all the dust and such out. Oh, that and the basement..." Lily outlined. 
"....." Sakuya was silent. 
"Hey, don't worry about it. I know what happened in that basement. If you don't want to set foot--" Sahir began. 
"No. I need to exorcise my demons. This is to be a happy home. No negativity need linger here. There shouldn't be any hint of what happened here before. Hinotama-san and her family will be walking into a pure, clean space." She clapped her hands together. "Okay. Some more housekeeping...Kenneth-kun, I need you to give the backyard a good look-through. I'd like your personal opinion on what we could fit back there for Kanae-chan to enjoy." 
"Are you asking me to find what fits, or what I can make fit?" Kenneth asked. 
"Yes. Now then, what else..." 
As she pondered, a vehicle pulled up: Hana's flower-themed van. Rin stepped out of the driver's side. "Hello." 
Rose got out of the passenger's side. "Good morning, all." 
"Teach? Doc? What are you doing here?" Sahir asked. 
"Sakuya told us that the front and back gardens could use some replenishing. So Rose and I are putting our green thumbs together and lending a hand." Rin replied. 
"I greatly appreciate it, truly. Is Shizuka-chan not with you?" Sakuya asked. 
"She's in the backseat--and she's napping." Rin checked. 
"How long have you been driving around?" Kenneth questioned. 
"Long enough, clearly." Rose deadpanned. 
Rin touched the sleeping Shizuka. "Mmmmph..." 
"Sorry, lovebug. Can't have you sleeping in the van while we're working. We need our little helper today." 
Rin brought her out of the van. "I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to teach her some gardening basics. Regardless of my profession, I'm still a Hanazaki woman. The botanical arts are in my blood. Getting to impart that knowledge is what every parent dreams of." She proudly held up Shizuka. "We're going to have so much fun making Kanae-chan's new house look pretty, right, lovebug?" 
"Uh-huh." Shizuka grogged. 
Rose put her hand under Shizuka's face, as if she was presenting it. "This is her Stare of Excitement, if you couldn't tell." 
"We, uh...figured." Sahir uttered, as the others were largely at a loss for words. 
"Well..." Lily began. "If you ladies need anything, just holler. There's not a whole lot in there, but I brought enough drinks and such along to last the day. Least I can do for the help." 
"It's our pleasure. As much as we adore our day-to-day schoolwork, we don't get many opportunities to get our hands dirty, so to speak. Being of service to others is our life's purpose." Rose replied. 
"That's right. And it's a bonus when it involves the family tradition. Like the old saying goes, 'when it's something you love doing, then it's not really work'." Rin added. 
"Ain't that the truth. Now if someone could just magically make me love dusting and cleaning..." Lily sighed. "C'mon, kiddies, we've got allergies to aggravate." 
"What a lovely way to spend a Saturday." Kenneth joked. 
The Kubo clan remained outside while the others went in. "Okaaaay...let's get this started." Rin clasped her hands together. "First thing's first, let's check the dirt." 
"Why do we gotta do that?" Shizuka asked. 
"If the dirt's no good, then the plants aren't going to have an easy time growing. You could say the soil and dirt are where the plants get their food." Rin checked the plot of dirt in front of the porch. "Just what I thought. Dry and hollow. This won't do at all. Rose, would you--" 
Rose appeared suddenly, a shovel in one hand and effortlessly holding a bag of dirt in the other. "--grab the dirt for me please. Ahehe, thanks." Rin took both, though comparatively struggled with the dirt. 
"A reminder to always eat your vegetables, Shizuka." Rose noted. 
"You and I both know that's not where you get it from. Now, let's clear out the old dirt..." 
The women dug up the plot, replacing the dirt with the contents of the bag. "Much better. Now, you want to leave a few holes in the dirt. Know why we do that?" Rose asked. 
"Um...it's to put the flowers in, right?" Shizuka answered. 
"That's right." Rose picked up a small plant with red flowers. "Now we can't bury it with the pot, so you have to be extra careful removing it." She gently pulled the plant out of the pot, placing it in one of the holes. "Just put a bit of dirt over it to even it out, and...voila. Simple as that." 
"Hey, yeah...that looks really easy!" 
"Think you can do it yourself?" Rin asked. 
"Uh-huh, uh-huh, totally!" 
"Alright then, you can pick the next one." 
Shizuka picked up a pot holding a plant with small, yellow flowers. "Now remember what I showed you. Pull it out, but be gentle." Rose instructed. 
The girl grabbed the stem of the plant, and pulled. "Nice and easy...you don't want to rip it out." Rin cautioned. 
The plant popped out, to Shizuka's surprise. "Hey, I got it!" 
"Very good! Now, where does it go?" Rose asked. 
Shizuka plopped the plant into an open hole, covering it with dirt. "I did it!" 
"Good job, lovebug! That wasn't so hard, was it?" Rin cheered. "Look at that, her first plant. I'm not tearing up, am I?" 
"Only slightly." Rose replied. 
"I wanna do another one!" Shizuka exclaimed. 
"I'll take that as a 'mission accomplished'. Just don't get too excited and rip the flowers out by accident." Rin cautioned. 
The trio spent the next few minutes planting three more sets of flowers, alternating red and yellow. "Very, very good job, little one. Now there's just one more step. You can have the nicest dirt, but what's the one thing that every life needs more than anything?" Rose asked. 
"Um...oh, I know! Water!" Shizuka exclaimed. 
"That's right. New plants need an early drink not just because they're thirsty, but to help settle the dirt." Rose turned on the hose. "You have to be mindful of how much water you give them. Too much water can hurt their growth, as well. You have to be very delicate with every step of caring for plants. Too much or too little of something could be disastrous." 
"You know how if you eat too much at the dinner table you get a tummy ache? Think of it like that." Rin added. 
"Flowers need a lot of work..." Shizuka mumbled. 
"Most beautiful things do. Grandma Hana's been growing and taking care of flowers for her whole life. Her garden's as gorgeous as it is because she takes the best care of it that she can. It is a lot of work, but it's worth it." 
"Very much so. Now that we're done planting here, should we take care of the back now, or dispose of the weeds up front?" Rose questioned. 
"What's a weed?" Shizuka asked. 
"See those plants sprouting out of the grass? Or the ones you see growing out of the sidewalk sometimes? Those are weeds. They're plants growing in places you wouldn't really want them growing. There are fluids called weed-killers people spray on them to get rid of them, but they could hurt flowers and other plants by accident. That's why I prefer to pull them out by hand." Rin explained. 
"That sounds yucky...I wanna keep planting!" Shizuka ran over to the van. 
"Well, that got decided quick." 
"...ah! Shizuka, wait a moment, there's one there you shouldn't--" Rose cautioned. 
"OW!" 
The women bolted at the sound of Shizuka's whelp of pain. "What happened, lovebug?! What's wrong?" Rin asked. 
Shizuka, whimpering, held out her hands. Both of them had small wounds on them. 
"Oh, no, I was afraid of this. Look, she tried to grab the roses." Rose said. 
"Ohhhh, no...I knew we should've dropped those off at home first..." Rin replied. 
"It hurts...it huuuuurts..." Shizuka cried. 
"I'm so sorry, Shizuka...Rose, I'm going to get some bandages, try to sooth the pain in the meantime..." Rin went to open the backseat of the van. 
"Let's see your hands, dearest..." Rose grabbed hold of the tearful girl. "'Tis but a scratch. You must not have grasped it too much. Let me ease the stinging..." A light emanated from the palms of her hands. "Don't mention this to anyone. This is something only I can do. Has the pain gone?" 
"*sniff* Uh-huh...*sniff*" 
"Good girl." 
Rin appeared holding a box of small bandages. "Okay, let's take a look...any bleeding?" 
"No, just a small scratch on each hand. One should be enough for each." Rose answered. 
"One for each it is..." Rin put a small circular bandage over each cut. "There you go. Feeling better?" 
"Uh-huh...*sniff*" Shizuka affirmed, her tears mostly having subsided. 
"That's my brave girl." Rin patted her head. "You got a bit excited and went right for the stem, didn't you? I'm sorry. Those roses are for our garden. We should've dropped them off at home before we came." 
"They're so pointy...why does something so pretty hurt so much...*sniff*" 
"That's just how they are, little one. Every rose has its thorns." Rose replied. 
"You don't have thorns, Mama Rose..." 
Rose let out a light giggle. "Not literal ones, no. And if we're being exact..." More light emerged from her palm, and a construct appeared resembling a rose. "My name isn't actually Rose. It's short for Rosemary. It's another kind of flower." The construct turned into a smaller flower. "These don't have thorns. People use them to make medicine, or sprinkle them on food for flavor. But since 'Rose' rolls off the tongue much easier, that's what I go by." 
She turned the construct back into a Rose. "They're much lovelier flowers, in any case. I hope this doesn't change how you see them." 
Shizuka grabbed the construct. "So pretty...why do they have to hurt?" 
"Well, lovebug..." Rin began. "Sometimes the things you love can hurt you. There was someone I loved who...did some really awful things. He was your uncle." 
"Uncle Tan?" 
"No. I had another brother. His name was Tohru. He's...not around anymore. He was a genius. I looked up to him. But he didn't feel the same way about me. And he tried hurting me." 
"Why would he do that?" 
"I ask myself that same question every day." Rin stopped herself. "It's alright now. More importantly, I'm sorry the flower hurt you. I hope you don't hate them for it. They're something our family loves, and we want you to love them, too." 
"I wanna keep going." 
"We would love that, dearest. But we need to be more careful. And we don't want any dirt or another substance to slip under your bandages. I would let you use my gloves, but they're too big for your hands." Rose said. 
"But I wanna keep planting!" 
"My heart...my heart! She can still be our little assistant, right? I'm sure she can help us without touching any dirt." Rin stated. 
"You really want to keep going, Shizuka?" Rose asked. 
"Mmhmm! I wanna grow plants big and pretty like you! I wanna keep going!" Shizuka exclaimed. 
"Ohhh, my heart is about to explode! We'll make you into a flower girl the Hanazaki clan'll be proud of!" Rin picked her up. "Come on, let's keep at it! I can tell you all about how bugs and plants work together. Butterflies, especially..." She carried her to the backyard. 
"What a heartwarming moment...all's well that ends well." Rose had a realization. "Wait...you forgot the supplies! Sigh...far be it from me to break her joyous mood. You wanted to get your hands dirty, Rose..."
--- 
Kat took a deep breath. "Oooooh, yeah. You can just smell the ocean." 
"We're right next to it." 
"It's like it's calling to me...why does it sound like a bookworm with 10/10 massager's hands?" 
"Can you just not?" Kibō groaned. 
It was the south side of Naruki, and the two, along with Carrie, Natalia and Barbara, were in front of a large white building, housing a fish market. 
"Well, whatever. Time for today's mission: Find the Wormy Fish. And, y'know, other things, but mainly the wormy fish!" Kat declared. 
"Are we really sure about this? I dunno about eating something so...slimy." Natalia questioned. 
"Don't judge a book by its cover, Natalia. Many of the most unappealing-looking things serve vital purposes. The farming industry would collapse if not for worms, for instance." Carrie stated. 
"Not the kind of thing I'd expect a jeweler to say." Kibō said. "But that's the whole point of not judging a book, I guess. You alright with hagfish for dinner, Barb?" 
"I mean, it's not gonna look slimy when it's cooked, right? If KittyKat says it's delicious..." Barbara replied. 
"And it is delicious. I wouldn't feed my Krew something gross on purpose. Only if it's just Kenny." Kat said. 
"Please don't torture him." Natalia responded. 
"I kid, I kid. There'll be no funny business in our kitchen, Hoods. You can make sure of that. Now let's put our fishing caps on and find ourselves some slimeballs." 
Kibō opened the door. "After you, ladies." 
"Why thank you, oh chivalrous knight." Carrie replied. 
"Mom would tell me off otherwise." 
The girls walked in, but Kibō stopped Kat. "She's still a little distant, right?" he asked. 
Kat sighed. "Can't be helped. She's never gonna be totally okay with this. But having everyone together for dinner's gonna be a boost, I think. Putting the social back in the social butterfly. It's what she needs. At this point I think we all need it." 
"True. But...is this really alright? Pretending it's normal when it so obviously isn't?" 
"It's not like we're ignoring what's going on. Call it...not letting him win. And when we're through beating his face in, she's gonna need us all over again. You most of all, big man." She patted him on the chest. "C'mon, we've got fish to find. It's like Animal Crossing, but without the bells or evil rabbits and their eggs." 
"Is it bad that I know exactly what you mean by that?" 
"No...but now I have questions." 
The biggest market in the district, the building held table after table of fresh catch. It wouldn't be hard to find dinner here, though the size and variety would make finding something specific more challenging. Naturally, the building was cold, necessary in keeping the catch from spoiling. 
"Jeez...I don't even know where to start looking." Natalia said. 
"You're the master, Hoods. Could go for some fish, or some crabs, maybe throw some calamari in there..." Kat suggested. 
"I wouldn't call myself a master chef or anything, I just really like cooking. I'm way more at-home with a sewing needle. Maybe we should find your wormy fish first." 
"Hey, where'd Care go off to?" Kibō questioned. 
Carrie reappeared, with strange black markings on her face, which she was wiping off with a handkerchief. "What the what? What happened to you?" Kat questioned. 
"There was an octopus that I and several others assumed to be dead. It was very much not. And it let me know about it." Carrie uttered back. 
"Yikes. Does it come off?" Natalia asked. 
"I'll likely be needing a long shower after this. And I'll likely be avoiding cephalopods for the foreseeable future. The strangest thing is, it seemed to have disappeared after it gave me an ink bath." 
"I heard those things are masters of camouflage." Kibō said. 
"Well as long as I never see the detestable thing again, I'll sleep better at night." 
It was at this moment that Barbara noticed the red tentacle reaching over Carrie's shoulder. "Um, Care...I think you have a passenger." 
Carrie slowly looked over to see the thing she'd not wanted to see again: the octopus had latched onto her back. "EEEEK! WRETCHED DEEP-SEA FIEND! GET IT OFF BEFORE IT LAYS ITS EGGS! OFF, OFF!" She grabbed for it. 
"Son of a--!" Kat grabbed her dagger and stabbed the invertebrate in the head, taking the opportunity to pry its suction cups from Carrie's back. "There we go, crisis averted. You alright there?" 
Carrie was sitting down and shivering. "Are there eggs?" 
"Um...no. I don't see anywhere it could lay them." 
"I could feel its beak...it wanted to pull me into its underwater lair and feast on me like a common sardine..." 
"Take it easy, he's partying with Davy Jones now. Hoods, I think you're gonna be making calamari after all. Let me go pay for the slippery son of a kraken." 
"Yes, cook the cursed thing! I can think of no better method of revenge!" Carrie closed her eyes and clasped her hands. "Wind, salt, sand...wind, salt, sand..." 
Barbara giggled. "You know it's bad when she's losing her cool. All it took was a bit if ink and a tentacle." 
"Guess everyone has their limits. Hey, wait...was that a laugh just now?" Kibō asked. 
"Well, yeah. Just so unexpected. She's not usually the type to freak out over something. I feel kind of bad for laughing, though." She crouched down next to Carrie. "You OK there? I'm sorry I laughed. That must've felt gross." 
"It was...not an appealing experience. And here I was explaining the benefits of the unpleasant." Carrie replied. 
"In all fairness, it's different when the thing's hitched a ride on your back." Kibō said, scratching his own back in the off chance that there was more than one tentacled creature about. 
Kat reappeared a few minutes later, the octopus now sealed tightly into a plastic bag. "Have no fear, Your Majesty. Squidward's been vanquished and prepped for the feast." 
"Oh, my fearless savior. I'll make sure to savor the fruits of your valiant efforts." Carrie replied. 
"No pressure, I guess." Natalia mumbled. 
"Any sign of the thing you actually brought us here for?" Kibō asked. 
"Negative on that one. But I might've found someone who'd know better than me. Hope y'all are ready for a surprise." Kat directed the group onwards. 
"I think I've had enough surprises for a while..." Carrie muttered. 
Kat brought the group over to a spot close to the center of the building where several tables were lined up in a large circle. Seated in the middle, looking through his phone, was Kaido. "Yo." Kat alerted. 
"Hng? Ah! It's you lot. Fancy meeting you all here." he responded. 
"Hi, Mr. Kaido. We were just hunting for our dinner tonight. I guess this is where Mr. JoJo has you working now?" Natalia asked. 
"You'd be right on that one. I'm the one that gets to sell off the catch. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate him and the Missus for not leaving me out to dry, but...yeah. Not as glamorous as running my own restaurant. Not gonna complain, but it's still a short leash I'm on." 
"....." Barbara looked down. 
Kaido noted the markings on Carrie's face. "Hey, uh...you've got a little something on your..." 
"I'm aware." Carrie stated. 
"She got into a mortal duel with a kraken." Kat held the bag up. "This is all that's left of it." 
"I...see." Kaido responded. "Oh, I just remembered. You kids paid a visit to Sendai not too long ago, didn't you? How was it? The beef tongue still as good as I remember it?" 
"I know our friend Ibuki loved it. Got five bowls of the stuff." Kibō replied. 
"Ahhh, I miss the food so badly. Too many bad memories involved with that place, but there's nothing like some good old home cooking. Some joints in town have pretty good--" 
Barbara walked up and bowed. "I'm sorry." 
"Huh? About what?" 
"Barbie, you don't have to--" Kat urged. 
"My brother was the one that hurt you. The one that altered your mind and made you do bad things. I know no amount of apologizing can make it alright, but..." Barbara started. 
"Slow down there, little lady. I already know all of that." Kaido stopped her. 
"Huh? You do?" 
"Red told Boss and Boss told me. At first I didn't believe it, cuz you all are such good kids, but then I sat and thought about it. Who else even has the power to do what y'all do?" Kaido noticed that Barbara was beginning to shake. "Th-that's not to say that you should apologize for him. Your brother's his own man and makes his own decisions. Got nothing to do with you, right?" 
"N-no, I'd never...!" Barbara responded. 
Kat grabbed her. "Breathe, Barbie. Keebie, you want to take her outside for a sec?" 
"On it. Let's go get some air." Kibō did as he was asked. 
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry, I'll be okay..." Barbara uttered. 
"I know, I know." The pair went out. 
"Sorry you had to see that." Kat said. 
"No, it's completely understandable. Poor girl's probably got a lot going through her head right now." Kaido replied. 
"None of us have taken it particularly well, but it's different for her. We've been trying to make it as easy and normal as we can." Carrie said. 
"Some days it's easier than others. That's what we're having this dinner for. Just to get some kind of normalcy and happiness back into our lives." Natalia added. 
"Oh, right. We were looking for something in particular." Kat pulled up a picture of a hagfish on her phone. "Seen any of these cuties swimming around?" 
"Those slimy things? You wanna eat them or use them to guard a moat?" Kaido questioned. 
"Pigs wallow in their own shit, but no one has second thoughts about eating ham. You seen them or not?" 
"Right, right, um...think there's a fella upstairs that brought in a tank of them." 
"Gucci. You've been a doll. Just for that, I'll grab something--oooooh." Kat looked around and caught sight of a set of reddish-brown fish. 
"Oh, you've got a good eye, young missy. That's the madai." 
"Back home we call them domi. Super delicious." 
"Oh, it's sublime. So much you can do with it. Grill it, bake it, use it for sushi, the works. We usually use it for New Year's or other big get-togethers. It's a sign of good fortune. The God of fortune is usually shown with one..." 
"I think we have a winner. Gotta be pricey, though, right?" 
"Don't even worry about it. Y'all still have cart blanche in my book. I'll give 'em to ya half off. Call it repayment for saving my bacon. Hopefully it changes your fortunes a bit." 
"You're awesome, thanks a ton. We hit the jackpot, Hoods." 
"Ooh, now you've got me excited. Lucky fish sounds like a good main course to me." Natalia replied. 
"Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Kaido." Carrie said. 
"Don't mention it. And one more thing. When your friend comes back in, tell her I've got no hard feelings, OK? She's got nothing to be guilty about. Far as her brother goes, he's gotta have his reasons for doing what he did. You don't mess with somebody's head for the hell of it. Not gonna stop me from asking you to give him a straight knuckle for me." 
"Will do on both fronts, dude. Thanks again." Kat responded. 
The girls paid for the fish and headed for the stairs. Kibō approached with a more composed Barbara. "Hey there. Got it out of your system?" Kat asked. 
"Yeah...I'm sorry about that." Barbara apologized. 
"There's nothing to apologize for. Nobody blames you for what's happening." Carrie assured. 
"Mr. Kaido told us to tell you there weren't any hard feelings." Natalia added. 
Kat tugged on Barbara's tank top. "C'mon, we've got ourselves some good vibes for dinner. And we've got a lead on our slimy entrée being upstairs. It's a good day, okay?" 
"Yeah. You're right. Let's get our dinner." Barbara replied. 
The five moved upstairs. They walked around until they eventually found a tank filled with the dull pink, worm-like hagfish; at least a dozen were sitting in the water. They stared into it. 
"....." Carrie pondered. 
"I didn't think they'd still be alive..." Barbara uttered. 
"I guess it's the same thing as with lobsters? The fresher the better?" Natalia questioned. 
"So someone's gotta grab 'em, right? Any volunteers?" Kat proposed. 
"You're the one wanting to cook them, KittyKat." 
"Yeah, but, uh...I just warmed up my hands. That might spook them." 
"Warmed up with what? A portable oven?" Barbara questioned. 
"I'm not in the mood to touch anything slippery." Carrie stated. 
"Well, ladies. I think there's an obvious solution here." Kat proposed. The girls all stared at Kibō. 
"Somehow, SOMEHOW I knew this was how it was gonna go." he griped. 
"Come on, you're the wrestler. You're used to grabbing things!" Natalia said. 
"Yeah, things that are my size and aren't slimy. Why does it always have to be me?" 
"Because you're a perfect gentleman that would volunteer for this otherwise?" Carrie suggested. 
Kibō groaned. "Why couldn't I be a jerk like my brother?" 
He took his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves. He stared down at the tank. "Okay...how many were you wanting?" 
"For how many we're serving...four should be enough." Kat replied. 
"Seriously? I have to grab four of these things?" 
"Ah, don't forget these..." Carrie handed him some gloves. 
"Oh, right...hey, wait a minute! Couldn't anyone--" 
"Nuh-uh, Keebie. You already said yes." Kat retorted. 
He groaned, and put on the gloves. "Okay. If I just grab them all at once..." Swallowing his annoyance, he reached into the tank. "Uggggh, okay, I think I--oh, this is gross, why can't I--no, no, no, no--!" 
After minutes of struggling, Kibō finally hoisted up four of the wriggling hagfish. "Oh man, okay, where's the cashier...tell him to take care of these squirmy things--!" 
"Hey, yeah, wouldn't they usually be the ones getting the fish out?" Natalia realized. 
Kat pointed over to the closest table, where the cashier was actually taking a nap. "Oh, for--" Kibō griped. He trotted over and kicked the side of the desk to jar them awake. "These things are trying to get under my shirt, I need them gone." 
The fish were dealt with and paid for. "I'd hug you for the effort, big guy, but, uh..." Barbara uttered. 
"I'm gonna need a shower. Forever." Kibō muttered. 
"I understand the sentiment." Carrie responded. "EEK!" She felt a tingling sensation on her back. 
Natalia giggled, having tickled her back. "Sorry." 
"That's just cruel..." 
"Y'all are taking after me too much. Everyone can go home and get those hot showers now. Tonight, we feast. Like normal." Kat said. 
"Right. Like normal." Barbara responded, with some ease in her voice. "As normal as fighting with slippery sea monsters can be." 
"Fighting and winning, mind." Carrie corrected. 
"I'm sorry, who actually stabbed it in its inky face?" Kat questioned. 
"I sent you telepathic suggestions." 
"Hey, I'm the one that can move things with her brain here!" Natalia stated. 
"But you can't actually read minds." Kibō noted. 
"I-I totally could if I wanted!" 
"What am I thinking of right now?" 
"Ummm..." Natalia thought about it. "'I really want to take a shower right now'?" 
"Lucky guess." 
The group bantered back and forth as they walked out. Barbara had a smile on her face. "Like normal. Yep. It's about how it should be...as much as it can be." she thought.
--- 
"You planning on giving me a turn soon, Fireball?" Kyoko asked. 
"When my arms tell me to give 'em a rest." Ibuki replied. 
The pair were inside of a fitness center in Naruki. Ibuki was laying down and lifting weights, while Kyoko looked on. 
"Look, I don't mind flexing some muscle every now and then, but you've gotta clue me in on why exactly you called me out of the blue. You're not planning on going another round with me, are you?" Kyoko questioned. 
"Trust me, one time was more than enough. I just had some time to kill and wanted to chat. Woman to woman." Ibuki responded. 
"This something you couldn't talk to your pals about?" 
"I can't. It's too...sensitive. They wouldn't understand. I wanted to talk to someone that's lived a lot more life than me." 
"The hell's that supposed to mean?! You calling me a crusty old hag?!" 
"That's totally not what I meant! You seriously fit the 'hot mom' bill! I'm just saying you've got loads more experience than me." Ibuki tested her arm. "Oooh, yeah, it's burning a bit. You can take it from here." 
The two switched places. "Okay, I'm flattered that you wanted to get my two cents, but I dunno if I'm the right person for it. I'm not really the 'mentoring' type." Kyoko said. 
"Keebie came out pretty good, I think." Ibuki replied. 
"I'd be lying if I said that was all me. And he's my kid. I wouldn't let him down like that." 
"If only every parent was that devoted to their kid." 
"I take it you don't have fond thoughts about yours." 
"....." Ibuki's expression turned grim. 
"Crap, forget I said anything. I didn't mean to--" 
Ibuki tensed up. Kyoko got to her feet. "Look, we don't have to keep talking if you're this miffed. But I guess there's a reason why you and your sis are on your own." 
"...I honestly don't know if they would've been good parents. They were junkies. Hardcore junkies. It put them both in an early grave. The only good parenting we ever got was from our grandparents. And when they died, we had to fend for ourselves on the streets. The crap they put into their bodies...it's like they were never there. If it weren't for that, maybe they could've been there for us. Maybe we wouldn't have had to sell ourselves to creeps just to pay for a cup of noodles. Maybe I wouldn't have to be the dad for Kanae-chan. Maybe Kaede would be able to hear me tell her how much I love her. But life doesn't have room for 'maybes'. So, sorry for talking your ear off. I...don't know where I'm going with this." 
"I get it, really. I'm happy to listen. What's on your mind?" 
"Well...you know that we found the guy behind all the mind games. It was..." 
"Barbie's bro, yeah. Not what I was expecting. Honestly seemed the most normal out of the whole lot. But that's exactly what actors are good at doing. Must've hit y'all like a cement truck." 
"I didn't exactly take it well. But now my mind's all out of whack. My whole life's just been a parade of men using and abusing me, making me their plaything and telling me I'm worthless. I never wanted to feel that way again. But him...he made me his lab rat, heard every bit of my pain and lied to my face the whole time. I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with that. Someone I trusted and wanted to get closer to hurt me and I want to just wrap my hands around his neck and choke him, but that'll never fly with Barbie, so..." Ibuki paused. "How do I handle this? It's one thing when a random John hurts me, but how am I supposed to deal with being hurt by someone I know?" 
"Well...it isn't exactly the same, but I've had to face the reality that someone I love dearly has done something terrible. Kyohei, my oldest. To make a long story short, he did some things in high school that caused a lot of pain, and now he's gone from possibly holding a seat in the Diet to sitting behind a set of iron bars. It threw us for a loop and out of public sight for a long time. It ripped my heart to pieces and made me focus even more on making sure Keebie followed the right path. That's how I managed it. I have people I have to take care of. It's the same for you, isn't it?" 
"Yeah. But, like..." 
"You're having boy trouble and you needed someone to vent to, right?" 
"That's seriously not it!" 
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" 
Kyoko looked at her watch. "Aw, shoot. I've gotta meet up with someone in a bit. I hate to cut this short, but..." 
"Nah, you're fine. Don't wanna hold you up. Got some things to take care of, myself. The gang wants to meet up later for dinner. No idea where they wanna go, though." Ibuki replied. 
"Well hey, there's a pick-me-up. So what if you're down one mate? You've still got a pretty good crew. And hey, that handsome fella with the cute ahoge's pretty cool, I hear." Kyoko winked. 
"Spoken like a true helicopter mom." 
"I believe the word you're looking for is 'awesome'. Go and get yourself prettied up for your pals. I'll be around if you need to have a word or three. Or a round or five." 
"All due respect, I'm not in any hurry to get in a ring with you any time soon. Getting into a fist fight's not what I had in my plans for today." 
"Well just keep the idea in the back of your noggin. The rematch offer's always on the table. See ya when I see ya." Kyoko stopped herself as she turned back to Ibuki. "Oh, yeah. And happy birthday." 
"Oh, um, thanks. I'd honestly forgotten it was coming up until a couple days ago. Things have been on the hectic side, y'know." 
"Forgot about it? That's crazy! 20's a big deal. I mean, you're legally allowed to drink now. Gotta celebrate properly." 
"Maybe I would...if the rest of the gang weren't all 16 and 17." 
"Woof, yeah, scratch that idea. A nice quiet dinner is good too, I guess. As quiet as your merry bunch can be." 
"So...not at all." 
"Exactamundo. Have fuuuuuun." 
--- 
Hours later, Ibuki prepped herself in front of the mirror, tying her hair up. She felt a tug on her dress, looking down to see Kanae looking up at her. The girl held her hair up in such a way that it resembled her aunt's. 
"One of these days you're gonna need to know how to do your own hair up, bubblegum." Ibuki said. 
"You do it so cute, Auntie." Kanae replied. 
"Do I? Well if we're handing out the compliments..." Ibuki got on her knees and proceeded to tie the girl's hair back in an identical way to her own. "There ya go. Got a long way to go til yours gets nearly as long as mine, but it's okay. Cuz you're still the cutest stick of gum in the world." Kanae giggled in response. 
Kaede stumbled across the scene and let out her own giggle. "Look at that. Twins!" she signed. 
"I would be so lucky. You ready yet?" Ibuki signed back. 
"Just one more thing. You're going to need to wear this." Kaede presented a blindfold. 
Ibuki blinked, and stared at the small white piece of fabric. "Are you kidnapping me?" 
"If I was, would I tell you to your face?" 
"OK, fair enough. Do I really have to wear this thing? Kind of need to see to get down the stairs." 
"Wait until we get in the car, silly. It's all part of the surprise. You'll understand when you see where we're going." 
"You sure you aren't kidnapping me?" 
"Positive." Kaede picked up Kanae. "Come on. Don't want to be late." 
"Yeah, wouldn't want to be late to my own abduction." 
The trio exited the apartment and got into their car. "You gonna be okay with me wearing this thing?" Ibuki asked. 
"I'm deaf, not blind. You know I can drive perfectly fine. There's nothing creepy going on. It'll all make sense soon. Would I lie to you?" Kaede replied. 
"No, you wouldn't. I'm sorry, I just..." Ibuki paused. "I don't know if I can trust anyone anymore." 
"It's OK. I understand. But when you see where we're going, you'll change your mind. Not everyone wants to do awful things to us, you know. I think those days are over. If you're going to listen to anyone, listen to the one that's always been there." 
Ibuki sighed. She put the blindfold on without further objection. "Okay. Kidnap away." 
After driving for several minutes, Ibuki heard the car coming to a final stop, and the driver-side door opening. "Mama says no peeking, Auntie!" Kanae exclaimed. 
Kaede tugged on her sister's shoulder. "Right on. Let's see how good I am at walking in heels blindfolded..." Ibuki mumbled. 
Kaede grabbed her by the arm and maneuvered her, as Kanae held her aunt's hand. Ibuki could hear a door opening, and her sister let her in. "Okaaaay...taking the tugging as the signal." She removed the blindfold, and opened her eyes to the most heartening of sights. 
"SURPRIIIIISE!" 
The students were all gathered behind a large table, which was filled to the brim with food. "Welcome hoooome~!" Kat exclaimed. 
"I...what?" uttered a stunned Ibuki. She got a bearing of her surroundings. What had once been a dusty, lonely abode had been completely refurbished and cleaned up, with freshly installed furniture. 
"Look at how shell-shocked the birthday girl is. I'd say that means a job well-done." Sahir boasted. 
"After hours of heavy-lifting, I should hope so." Kenneth responded. 
"This is...the house. And it's...really all done?" Ibuki questioned. 
"Well, not 100%. Ya still gotta bring over your wardrobe and whatever else from your apartment, and we're planning out a little play area for the backyard. But it's light years ahead of where it was before." Kat replied. 
"We've spent all day dusting and cleaning, and we went ahead and requested that the furniture be installed early." Sakuya added. 
"We did the honor of putting in your new garden earlier." Rin spoke up. "Shizuka was our little helper. Right, lovebug?" 
"Uh-huh." Shizuka confirmed. 
Kanae immediately zipped over to Shizuka. "Did you get an ouchie on your hand?!" 
"Uh...yeah." 
"She got a little excited and grabbed a rose plant by accident. But she kept going. She really wanted to help make your garden pretty." Rose stated. 
"Yay! Thank you, Shizuka!" Kanae hugged Shizuka tightly. "I love yoooou!" 
"Uhhhh..." Shizuka shied away. 
"And now for the part-homecoming, part-birthday feast." Kat said. "Call it the ultimate seafood platter, harvested after a deadly duel with the Kraken..." Carrie looked away, embarrassed. "...and a battle with a horde of sinister slimeballs." 
"I could wash my shirt a thousand times and not get the slime out." Kibō commented. 
"Our prime catch has been cooked to perfection by yours truly, and my adorable master chef companion. And just for you, I brought my A-game and made a saucy hagfish dish. Just the way my Mama makes it." 
"We've been toiling away for a good while, so I hope you love it. And when dinner's over..." Natalia presented a large cake. 
"Ain't no dessert like a Natty dessert. I know it's tempting, but try not to rush through your meal to get to it. It was all made with love. And just the tiniest pinch of salt." 
Barbara had been silent up to this point, as if trying to figure out what to say. "I know...how hard it's been for you. It must be impossible for you to really trust anyone. But we wanted to show that we really want you to be happy." 
"Barbie...you don't gotta get emotional." Ibuki replied. 
"I'm the one that brought you in. I set you up to get hurt. I can't help but--" 
Ibuki wrapped her arms around Barbara, stopping her speech. "I love you. I love all you guys. I was less than nobody, and you pulled me up and made me remember what I'm here for. I thought for so long that I was gonna die in some dirty back alley, nothing more than a faceless piece of trash. Y'all gave me something more valuable than money or glory. We have the home and the love that we've been after for our entire lives. That's what you set me up for. I wouldn't want to spend today with anyone else. Thanks, Barbie. I don't know where I'd be without you." 
That was all the young actress needed to hear. Without another word of objection, she reciprocated the hug. 
"Alright, enough with the sappy stuff, cuz I'm about five seconds away from crying." Ibuki stated. 
"So that's just sweat coming out of your eye sockets, got it." Kat replied. "Come on, we've got a feast to take care of." 
"Oh, yes, please. You've been hyping up these wormy things, so they'd better be good..." 
"Please, do I look like the kinda gal that exaggerates?" Kat immediately put her hand over Kenneth's mouth. "Didn't think so." 
She released her grip. "Your hands smell like tartar sauce." Kenneth griped. 
"And your breath smells like bleach. Which honestly might be an improvement." 
Everyone helped themselves to a slice of the feast, and were seated between the living room and kitchen. 
"So, Carrie-chan..." Sakuya began. "Is it true that you got into an altercation with an octopus?" 
"I...don't recall anything of the sort." Carrie averted her gaze. 
"Kibō insists that Katherine had to pry it off of you. That you were in a right panic." Kenneth said. 
"Could it be that our unflappable Ms. Blackthorne might actually be afraid of tentacles?" Sahir teased, putting his arm around her shoulder. 
"Poppycock." Carrie shooed him away. 
"So that look of satisfaction you have while eating your calamari is just my imagination?" Sakuya questioned. 
"Simply enjoying some lovely cooking." Carrie took a rather forceful bite out of her meal. "Whatever fiendish acts this creature partook in prior to its righteous demise are of no concern." 
"How do you manage to stay so refined while saying stuff like that?" Sahir questioned. 
Over at the kitchen counter, Ibuki was eating away. "Well? What's the verdict?" Kat asked. 
"Y'know what, KittyKat...even picturing in my head what this thing looks like when it's alive...this is damn good." Ibuki conceded. 
"Told ya. I videocalled my mom so she could walk me through it step-by-step. All it takes is a little BBQ sauce to forget that it was ever slimy. Though some people might not be able to forget so easily. Right, Keebie?" 
"Ugggggh." Kibō groaned. 
"I suppose oil wrestling is out of the question for you, then." Rose commented. 
"...that's a thing?" 
Ibuki nudged her sister. "You knew about all this?" she signed. 
"I had to sign off on the furniture. All that's left is to move our clothes in. Tonight's going to be our last night in the apartment. Tomorrow we officially move in." Kaede responded. "By the way, could you tell your little blonde friend that I absolutely love her cooking?" 
"Yo, Natty. Kaede loves your cooking." 
"Aww." Natalia took a minor bow. "Tell her that I'm flattered. But we haven't even gotten to the best part yet. My reputation rests on how much you love my cake." 
"You sure you're in the right business? Don't get me wrong, you make the best hoodies, but your cooking's one of the few things I'd use the word 'delightful' to describe." 
"Nothing wrong with having more than one hobby. If for whatever reason the clothing business doesn't work out, I could always work with my Nana at her bakery. Always helps to have a backup plan." Natalia thought of something. "Oh! I totally forgot. I've actually got something else for you." 
"Natty, please, y'all already got me dinner and a house. I think that's got my next five birthdays covered." 
"Well, it's not really from me. It's from Layla." Natalia grabbed a long, cylindrical package. "I showed her the footage of your match with Keeb's mom. So she made this for your room." 
"Is everyone where you're from made out of sugar? Let's see what we have here..." Ibuki popped open the package. She took out a rolled-up sheet of paper and unfurled it. "Whaaaaat." 
It was a red ink sketch of Ibuki in her wrestling costume, the stylized word "Fireball" in large letters across the top. "Dude...this is so sick! I love it! You've gotta thank your homegirl for me." 
"Actually, I think you can thank her personally." Natalia dialed her phone. After a couple of rings, the video feed came up, and Layla appeared. "Hey, Natty. What's going on?" 
"Hiya, Layla! We're having Ibuki's party now. She wants to say something." Natalia turned her phone towards Ibuki. 
"Heeeeey, I've got my giiiift." Ibuki held the picture up proudly. 
"Oh thank goodness, it got there okay. Did it come out good?" Layla asked. 
"Gurl, I love it! It'll be the first thing going up in my room. Thanks so much. Figures a friend of Natty would be a sweetheart." 
"Y-you're too kind, I'm just glad that you like it. Natty showed me your match and told me all about you. I just think you're really cool and inspiring, is all. I'd give anything for even a tiny bit of that strength." 
"Now you're the one being too kind. It takes a lot of courage to admit when you've done something bad. You can't let that stuff get in your head. But I really, really appreciate this. If you weren't thousands of miles away right now, I'd give you the biggest hug." 
"I appreciate the thought, but m-maybe not too big. I saw what you did to that lady, and she looked super duper scary, so you'd probably snap me like a twig..." 
"Aw, don't worry about that, I can be gentle." 
"'Scary'?" Kibō questioned. 
"Keeb...you're the last person who should be questioning that." Barbara responded. 
"Well hey girlie, don't be a stranger. Come by our neck of the woods again soon." Ibuki said. 
"I can guarantee that it won't be nearly as dramatic as last time." Kat added. 
"I'd like to, if it's okay. I mean, if Natty thinks it's alright..." Layla muttered. 
"Totally! I'd love to bring you around again once things calm down here. I can show you all of our usual haunts. Tokyo's such an awesome city, you'd have your pick of things to sketch." Natalia replied. 
"Why do I get the feeling that she's had this idea in mind for a while?" Sahir questioned. 
"Alright, I won't keep you, but I'll talk to you soon, OK?" 
"And remember, I still owe you a hug next time you come around." Ibuki reminded. 
"I'll remember. Glad you liked my sketch. Thanks a lot for calling. Hope to talk again soon. See you all later." Layla bid farewell, and the call ended. 
Once she'd finished her meal, Ibuki went upstairs to what was to be her room. At the moment, all that was there was a bed and some shelves. She taped the drawing to the wall. 
"Front and center for any visitors. Certainly catches the eye." Sakuya appeared in the doorway. 
"It's easier to catch the eye when the room's so empty. But it's still a badass centerpiece. I didn't get to say this before, but you and the boys did real good cleaning up the place. I haven't seen a single speck of dust yet." Ibuki replied. 
"I appreciate the kind words. Mama wanted the place to be absolutely spotless. She apologizes that she couldn't be here, but she has to meet early with some clients in the morning." 
"Hey, it's no trouble. It was already a big ask getting you two to come back to this house." 
"Yes, you're right..." Sakuya pondered her answer. "No. This is a happy occasion. I made my peace with this place already. Every last morbid reminder of my past life here has been scraped and scrubbed away. There's nothing to upset myself over." 
"Don't hold it in, Saku. Nothing good comes from doing that." 
"I'm not holding anything in. Trust me when I say that I've exorcised every last demon relating to this house throughout the day. Just promise me that you'll fill the place with love and happy memories. Goodness knows I experienced neither." 
"You won't have to worry about that, girlfriend." Ibuki gave her a hug. "I promise we'll keep this place as spiffy as it is now. Thanks for doing this for us. I'll never forget it as long as I live." 
"I'll hold you to that promise. We'll be the best landlords we can be, in return. Promise too that you'll be timely with the rent." 
"Oh yeah, that's still a thing, huh? Kidding, kidding. Having a big roof over our heads is worth any penny you ask for. I could only dream before of Kanae-chan having her own room instead of sharing it with my sister." 
"Ah yes, on the subject of Kanae-chan. I just remembered the reason I came up here. The birthday girl still needs to blow out her candles. And your niece has been eyeing the cake the entire night. I'd suggest making haste." 
"Uh-oh. Bad idea to get between that girl and something sweet. Especially something Natty-made. Leggo." 
Downstairs, Kat was holding her sheathed dagger, and relaying the story of the fishery excursion. "...and then Zeus yelled out 'Release the Kraken!' and out came this humongous, tentacled monstrosity from the briny deep." Shizuka and Kanae hung on every word. "Before I knew what was happening, the fiend grabbed Care with one of its gross tentacles! So what does ya girl do when her girl's in danger? Walk right up to its stupid face and--" Kat jabbed with the dagger. 
"You're so cool, KittyKat!" Kanae exclaimed. 
"Did it try to eat Care?" Shizuka asked. 
"I exercise my right to remain silent." Carrie responded. 
"Curious." Rose stated while scrolling through her phone. 
"What is?" Rin asked. 
"One would assume that if an ancient, mythological beast sprang up from the depths to attack a Japanese fish market, social media would be abuzz about it." 
"Maybe it was a tiny Kraken." 
"Perhaps. So tiny that our French heiress has been vengefully consuming its pieces all night." 
Ibuki came downstairs. "Sorry for the wait, y'all. I heard something about cake?" 
"Yes, please. Something to tear us away from cephalopod talk." Carrie responded. 
"Note to self: take Splatoon off of the 'games to try with Care' list." Kat stated. 
The consummate birthday ritual ensued, ending with Ibuki blowing out the candles--just two, mercifully. No sooner had she done so did her niece start begging for the first piece. 
"What's your judgment, bubblegum?" Ibuki asked. 
"Ahhhh...this cake is the best cake! No cake's ever gonna beat it!" Kanae responded. 
"The girl's got good taste buds. It's like heaven baked into a fine form." Sahir stated. 
"It's impossible to be sad when you're having a Natty dessert. It's the highlight of any day." Barbara added. 
"Hmmhmhmmm~🎶" Natalia hummed to herself as she washed the dishes, clearly enjoying the praise. 
After a short while, everyone stepped out of the house and started to head for home. "I'll be looking after Aura tomorrow, so I'll bring her and the lovebug over for a playdate. And I can help out with any housekeeping that's left." Rin said while carrying a sleeping Shizuka. 
"You're an angel, Prof. We'll call as soon as we get here." Ibuki replied. 
"Now if only she was this eager to help out around our house..." Rose signed. Rin playfully swatted her hair. "I tease, of course." 
Kaede giggled. "Thank you for helping with the garden and the lawn. I hope it wasn't too much trouble." she signed back. 
"Not at all. Gardening is in my blood. Getting to teach this little one the basics warmed my heart like nothing else. And it's the neighborly thing to do." Rin replied. 
"I'm starting to see how you have connections everywhere in this town with that kind of personality." Ibuki said. 
"My Dad always said that one act of kindness can go a long way. He came to this part of town with barely enough money to get by, and he still gave a girl tips every day because he liked her music. He ended up with a refurbished store, a wife and three kids out of that. Even the smallest thing can mean the world to someone." 
"Your old man sounds like a stand-up dude. I can tell ya that every little thing that went into all this means more than y'all realize. Thanks again, really." Ibuki stated. 
"It's no trouble at all. We look forward to seeing more of you from now on. Have a good night, now." Rose replied, and the Kubo trio departed. 
The students all followed suit. "We'll be back tomorrow to help out, too. Whatever you need, we're good for." Kat said. 
"Just don't ask Sahir to handle anything fragile." Kenneth joked. 
"Ugh, I broke one plate, it was an accident!" Sahir griped. 
"Guys, seriously, you've done way more than enough. You're spoiling us at this point." Ibuki stated. 
"Well maybe you deserve to be spoiled. It's the least we can do." Barbara replied. 
"Anything for our extended family." Carrie added. 
"Just hit us up if you need anything. We'll be on it like Keebie on a worm fish." Kat said. 
"Four worm fish." Kibō corrected. 
"Not that you're boasting." Sakuya commented. 
"See you in the AM! I'll take care of the breakfast!" Natalia exclaimed. 
The students left. Kanae let out a yawn. Kaede turned to Ibuki. "Ready to head out?" she signed. 
"...do we have to?" 
"Just for one more night. Come the morning we'll never have to see that apartment again. Tomorrow it's a new beginning. Okay?" 
"Yeah. Okay. New beginning sounds perfect." 
The sisters looked back at the house. Kaede put her head on Ibuki's shoulder. "We're home." she spoke. 
Ibuki smiled lightly. "Yeah. We're home."