Even though it wasn’t exactly like Zach had imagined it, especially as he had a bunched skirt under his jacket, there was something distinctly pleasing about riding a motorcycle into the city. Especially, he had to admit to himself, with Yuki clinging on to him…

He had considered taking a little detour to enjoy the sensation a little, Yuki didn’t know the way anyway, but in the end he had simply decided to go as fast as he could, Just in case his sister was going to an early viewing.

The idea of an early viewing of a horror movie seemed silly to Zach as he parked the motorcycle in an underground garage, briefly disappointed to no longer feel Yuki’s arms around him.

He got off, stretched and took off his helmet, grinning proudly at the fact that he had gotten them there safely.

Yuki, took off her helmet and laughed at him.

“What?”

“You are only half dressed without your wig…”

“...What?”

“Something they said in a movie,” she laughed, unzipping her leathers, then suddenly stopped, “What are you looking at?”

She looked down at her fingers, which were just below her waist and she smirked.

“Turn around,” she commanded, doing the same.

Zach did as told, but slower, getting just the briefest glance of the yellow cotton before her skirt covered fell over it.

He followed her example, happy to no longer have an extra layer of bunched fabric pressing against chest and even happier to no longer be weighed down by the suffocating warmth of the white leather suit.

When he turned back, Yuki had already finished smoothing out her clothes and had his wig in hand, a devilish grin playing on her face.

An elderly couple made sure to cover their grandchildren’s eyes as they passed by, the woman looking on with curiosity and her husband with unconcealed disgust.

“What’s happening, pops?” one of the children asked.

“Perverts,” the man snapped, “Don’t watch.”

Yuki stuck out her tongue at them, getting two offended looks and one nose in the air as the elderly couple hurried their children into a yellow sedan.

“Ow, Yu..Yuki! My hair!”

“Do not be a baby, Zach. … There you are. Pretty again.”

“Sure, Yuki,” Zach sighed, “… Want to grab a bite?”

“Sure. If you pay,” she giggled, handing him his back, “And if you tell me what is in this.”

Zach put the satchel over his shoulder and tried to imitate the man he saw in the movie, “Tennis balls, my liege.”

“What?”

“Something I saw in a movie…”

“But, tennis balls? Why tennis balls?”

“You said I needed a weapon,” Zach hurried, sounding hurt.

Yuki cocked her head, then laughed, “And you went with tennis balls? Will you be pitching for the Ham Fighters?”

“The Ha...what?”

Yuki shrugged, “Baseball team.”

“Why not just say Dodgers?”

“I do not know American Baseball teams…”

Zach laughed, “Well you can see them when you go to Hollywood. It’s not that far to LA from there.”

“No, thank you. I do not like being bored.”

Zach shrugged and took point, “How’bout football then?”

Yuki made a face, then frowned, “You know where we are going?”

“There is a nice diner across from the movie theater. We can see everyone coming and going from there.”

“Oh, like a stake-out. Fun.”

Zach was glad to be off the streets. Dressed as they were in the foreign school uniforms, they had drawn a lot of attention, which he could live with it, but Zach definitely wasn’t thrilled at the catcalls, many of which came from adults. Worse was the guy that had squeezed his butt, being rewarded with a kick to the shin from Yuki.

“That is life,” Yuki said apologetically as Zach whispered his complaints when they sat down.

“Shouldn’t be,” he muttered.

Before Yuki could answer, the waitress appeared at their side. This wouldn’t have been a problem, were it not for the fact that Zach recognized the woman as Miss Kozlova, one of the cafeteria lunch ladies.

Coming in, he had barely recognized her a, unlike the times she served food at school, she had put some work into her appearance. Most noticeably, her clothes fit her, instead of hiding her form in something that was best described as a bluish trash bag. Her reddish hair wasn’t hidden under a hairnet and more importantly, she didn’t have a cigarette. ...Her thin mustache that students made fun off however was still there.

“Heya gals,” the woman said in a rasping voice that still betrayed her three packs a day habit. She suppressed a cough, then leaned down on the table and got a pencil from behind her ear, “What can I get yous?”

Zach looked at Yuki, who just shrugged, mouthing that she had no idea.

“Just some burgers please,” Zach muttered, getting a soft prod from Yuki’s foot.

He glanced at her and she very quickly and very briefly raised her hand slightly from the table, then pointed to her mouth.

Zach gave her a confused look.

“And some cokes please…” Yuki finished the order.

“Yous wan’ fries wizzat?”

“Yes please,” Yuki said hurriedly, waiting for the woman to leave and pointedly looking at Zach in an attempt to keep him quiet.

“Regurcurly?”

“What?”

“Curly,” Zach replied, who had managed to understand the question as ‘Regular or curly?’.

Yuki mouthed at him to shush.

Miss Kozlova jotted some things down, then looked from Zach to Yuki, “Yous kids do have money, right?”

Zach nodded, lightly hitting his bag.

“I’s calling the fuzz if yous don’t,” Kozlova warned, them, then headed for the kitchen, already yelling at ‘Joe’ what to make.

Yuki leaned forward, gesturing Zach closer, so she could quietly snap at him.

“Aho! Koe!”

“Ko-eh?” Zach asked, cocking his head.

“Your voice,” she whispered, “You still sound like a boy. Higher!”

“Like this…?” Zach tried, sounding like a cartoon mouse.

Yuki smirked, “Take off your shoe.”

“My...shoe?”

“Take it off.”

Zach frowned, did as told and waited. Right after his shoe hit the floor, there was a soft tap from the other side of the table. Yuki’s shoe falling to the floor.

“Tell me about,” she thought for a moment, “The A-team…”

“The A-team?” Zach replied, incredulous.

“You have a poster of them in your bedroom. So you know about the show, I think. Tell me…”

“Uh,” Zach started, “So, they’re four Vietnam veterans who were imprisoned for a crime they didn’t commit.”

As he spoke, Yuki put her foot on is. He glanced down.

“Keep talking. Who are these veterans?”

“Well, there’s B.A. He’s the big black GUY!”

Zach’s voice rose slightly as Yuki’s foot went up along his, her sock sliding across his ankle.

“And?”

“There’s Hannibal, he’s the lea-ea…”

Yuki’s foot had reached halfway to his knee.

“Leader?”

“Leader,” Zach managed to gasp out.”

“Who is the funny one?”

“Murdock. He is their pilot, but is also craz...ee!”

“There we go,” Yuki smiled, removing her foot from under Zach’s skirt, “Try to hold that note.”

Zach gave her a petulant look, though if it was because she had invaded his personal space or left it again, he wasn’t sure.

“Crazy, you said?”

“His name is HM. It stands for Howling Mad…”

“Aha,” Yuki mused, clearly not at all interested, “Oh, our food…”

“That was fast…” Zach observed.

“Yous the only ones here,” the waitress informed them and unceremoniously dropped the plates in front of them with an abject disinterest, “So Joe’s fast. Hey, yous look familiar. You go to Liberty High?”

“I am sorry,” Zach replied, trying to copy Yuki’s contraction-less speech, “I do not know what Liberty High is. We are on vacation.”

“Did yous voice change, girly?”

There was a moment of tense silence.

“Well, puberty’s rough on everyone. Enjoy your meal.”

“Thanks, Miss Kozlova,” Zach replied out of habit.

“How do yous know my name?”

“Name tag,” Zach said hurriedly.

The woman just shrugged, apparently unaware she wasn’t wearing a one.

“You know her?” Yuki whispered.

Zach shrugged, “Lunch lady.”

“Ah…”

A few hours later Zach looked with some disappointment at the forty dollars he was passing to the waitress, making sure to give her a generous tip as his father had taught him.

They left the diner, right when a banged up white Volvo station wagon pulled up to the movie theater.

“Lucy,” Zach said, ducking behind an empty newspaper vending machine.

“Who?”

“Tara’s friend.”

“Zach,” Yuki said, leaning down on the machine, “I do not think she will recognize you.”

“Right,” Zach muttered, getting up and looking at Lucy leave the car. Tara followed a second later.

There was a short exchange between Lucy and her mother. Zach couldn’t hear it, but it did not appear to be friendly. Lucy pulled out a duffle bag from the back seat, then slammed the door.

“That seems a bad way to smuggle in snacks,” he observed.

Yuki smirked, “I will go listen in. They definitely will not recognize me.”

Before Zach could have her reconsider her decision, Yuki crossed the street, following the two girls inside.

Zach side, drumming on the newspaper box when he heard a scream, then two words cutting through the evening crowd, “My purse!”

He turned just in time to see the snatcher rush past him…