Thoughts/ Text/ Emphasis

Language other than Japanese

[Chapter 2: Once More, Meeting]

What the fuck. My hands were pressed to my face as I refused to stare at the people in front of me. What the fuck. How the fuck did this even happen?

Long story short, I ended up throwing everyone in the shower. Not fun I tell you— having to both drain up the water and shut up all the screams that came along (mostly Sakura). Thankfully, I'm a cheap ass motherfucker that only wears oversized clothing so they weren't naked now. My clothes...

Shuffling awkwardly in my seat, I heaved a deep, deep sigh as I craned my head back up. They were all looking at me: suspicious, curious, cautious— not that I blame them. I deadpanned, if it weren't for being Megumi, I would've been more intimidated by this. "Um..." I placed a hand under my chin and cleared my throat. "Hi?" I waved at them. "Uh, how did you get here...?" I can't just automatically assume that fanfiction powers exist, can I?

Instead of an immediate answer, all I got was even more confused eyes. "Hey, what are you saying?" Naruto spoke up with his face scrunched. Although they didn't say it, the rest of the team nodded in agreement. "That's not Japanese!"

I blinked. What? What do you mean that's not... It hit me— I was speaking in English. I resisted the utter urge to slap myself. I'm... I'm already... Once more, I sighed, pursuing my lips together. "Ah, sorry," I didn't like the fact that it felt weird conversing in another language. "I... I mean, I just didn't think you didn't know English."

"English?" I almost choked on Sakura's terrible attempt at the word. "Is that... what you were saying?"

I nodded, narrowing my eyes. "Yeah, but it's weird you've never heard it." I mused, cocking my head to the side. "Wait, but if you've never heard of that then..." In an act, I furrowed my brows together.

"You're quick," Kakashi noted— how the hell did he get a mask? I didn't have a mask around— staring at me with a single eye. He made a small hum, glancing back at his students. "But it's most likely that we're in a different world."

"How does that even work?" Sasuke butted in. "I doubt there's any jutsu that can do that." Well, I thought to myself, maybe Obito's Kamui or Minato's Hiraishin could do it.

Honestly, I'm just surprised that they're not freaking out that both Naruto and Sasuke were here. Maybe something happened in the box?

I crossed my arms, pursuing my lips in thought. How they come here...? "Maybe some world rift was created...? If that even exists." I let out a sigh-- but then why did they turn into cats? Well, three cats and a dog.

"Wait just a moment," Sakura spoke up, fiddling with the clothing I gave her. Craning my head at the pink-haired girl, I blinked as she pointed an accusing finger at me. "Why is it that you're so calm about this?" Her brows furrowed. "Heck, you seem to recognize us!"

Fuck. I almost cursed out loud. I was so consumed by the fact that we were here that I forgot to mask myself. Eying them with a side glance, everyone seemed to be on edge. I resisted the urge to sigh, no, I can work around this. "Um, well," I scrambled for any ideas to come knocking in. "Do you know what parallel universes are?"

Naruto tilted his head with a confused expression, "Para... parallel universes? What's that?" He took a glance at Sasuke and Sakura. "Did we learn that the academy?"

"No," The only other girl responded.

Okay, here we go. "Well, the idea of parallel universities is the theory that there are a bunch of universes that are different from another, yet still hold some similar elements."

"So? What does that do with us?" The raven head was quick to shoot a question at me, gazing at me with sharp and cautious eyes. "How does this answer with you recognizing us?"

"Shush now," Taking a deep breath, I momentarily wondered what their reactions would be. "In this world..." My eyes narrowed in hesitance, but I persisted. "You guys are in a work of fiction."

The responses were instant.

"Fiction?" The scarecrow raised a brow. I know, sounds crazy but-- well, can chakra be like magic?

I nodded, despite the looks they all gave me. "You can take it was a grain of salt but, it's the truth." I placed a finger under my chin, how can I prove it to them? I mean, I'd need some proof but I don't have any Naruto manga with me and--

"Holy mother fucking shit!" I yelled, my heart taking a fucking leap as I pressed a hand over my chest. What in the-- is that Standing up, why is everyone in fighting mode, I darted my eyes around frantically. Uh— ah, why is welcoming us to hell--

Ah. My eyes landed at the bundle of blankets on my-- her bed. "Guilty or not guilty? Guilty or not guilty?" It sang under all that. It felt like a lightbulb had lit. Oh, I know what that is now. Amongst the loud drums and screams— along with the tense ninjas, I strode up to the bed. God, why'd I picked this as the alarm? Stuffing my hand in, earning a gasp from them lol, I picked through the chaos that was my covers and grabbed something small yet slim. There it is.

Bringing my hand up, I could only stare at my phone that a vibrating with loud music. "Kill you, kill you, It sang maniacally, lighting up. 'It's work time, mother fucker!', it read.

"Okay, shut the fuck up, Suzu," I told it, not that it was alive, with the press of my fingers. It immediately stopped. glancing at the top half of the device, I blinked. Isn't that... the day I died? The grip on my phone tightened at the memory of it. Truck-kun's hug really wasn't that great... nor was the running away from a murderer part. I let out a sigh, I shouldn't go to work, I don't want to deal with that.

Fiddling with my phone, it took me a while to find my contacts after so long, telling my boss (I'm surprised I still remember their name) that I wouldn't be coming in for maybe a week, I lowered my phone. Craning my head up, I only blinked.

The whole team was dead silent, staring at the device in my hand. "Um..." I raised it up for them to get a better view. It wouldn't be good if I hide it, I'd just put more suspicion on me. Everyone seems to snap out of it, relaxing their posture just the tinies bit.

Oh right! I let out a small gasp, raising my phone and unlocking it. Going onto the search engine, I pressed my fingered against the digital keyboard and then pressed a link. Responding to my touches, I was soon brought to a manga site, with a whole bunch of Naruto chapters. "Look at this!"

Everyone else was skeptical but, the blond was curious enough to bump his head close to mine. "Woah, it's me!" Naruto exclaimed with wide eyes, staring at the first cover of the manga. The younger, drawn Naruto was staring right back at him with a fox-like grin.

"Yup," I smiled, adoring the child-like face, he really hasn't changed all that much. "You're the main character."

"Really?!" He grinned before looking at the emo kid. "Take that, teme! I'm the main character!"

"Shut it dobe," He instantly shoots back, crossing his arms with a scowl. "Let me look a that."

As they all huddled closer, I angled it so it would give a better view. "Look, there I am!" Sakura pointed her younger self at another cover. "And you and Kakashi!"

"I see," Kakashi hummed before straightening up to look at me. "I never got to ask, what is your name? Since you apparently already know ours."

I blink, "Ah, my name is--" I halted in my tracks. I can't say I'm Megumi. I almost sneered in disgust. Then, just for a bit, I'll stay like this. "Ashely." I didn't like how easy it was to say that. Watching him nod in acknowledgment, he turned back at what everybody was looking at.

"What the..." Looking at Sasuke, I rose a brow at his small mumble. For some reason, he looked... oddly frustrated. And-- wait, is that my phone in his hands?! "Where's Nee-chan?"

My blood turned cold.

"Yeah, that's weird," The kunoichi added, pointing at the small screen "Megumi-chan hasn't appeared in any of these drawings." So this the people I grew up with, not the original. Shit, shit, shit!

I'm right here! I wanted to say, yet I bit down my tongue. If I revealed myself, that'll only raise questions— questions I'd rather not answer. I thought to myself absentmindedly. I also don't want them to know... I shook the thought away. Now's not the time. And with that, I just did the thing that anyone would do in a situation like this.

Act out a Re: Zero scene.

"Who's... who's Megumi?" I asked carefully, tilting my head in a confused manner. Everyone whipped my head at me, baffled by my statement.

Naruto was the first to confront me, raising his hands up. "Wha-- what do you mean?! She's that Teme's twin sister, dattebayo!"

Ah, I'm glad they care for Megumi but... I strengthened my resolve. Megumi doesn't exist at the moment. "Twin sister?" I repeated to add on to my lies. "Sasuke never had any. And even if he did, they would've been dead already." I ignored the look the duckling gave me. Well, under the assumption that Itachi really was a cold-blooded murderer. "Are you sure you aren't thinking of a fanfiction?"

"A what?"

I waved them off, sitting on the bed. "You don't need to know." I ran a hand through my dyed locks. Gah... this is just so confusing. I slouched, a hand under my chin. I... I can't handle all of this alone. I concluded, watching them all come up with their conclusions. Why did I have to be here? Alone of all that?

I blinked.

How... how can I be so sure?

"Yo emo bitch!" Should I even be surprised that Sasuke actually responded to it? "Give it back. I need'da do something." I demanded my hand out for the phone. Although he looked a little annoyed, I don't blame him, he grudgingly gave it back, muttering something under his breath.

With the small device in my hands, I instantly got onto Twitter, where he probably had. Uh... Fuck. I whacked my head around. What was his username?

"TanjiroKamadoBoi1422!"

"PFFFT—- OH MY FUCKING GOD,

Well, at least it was memorable. I commented internally with a small laugh, typing it down. There was, thankfully, a hit. Going onto the account, I went to message him. My heart pounded in nervousness. What if this is a random person? What if he didn't come back as well? God— please not that.

I pushed down the lump in my throat. Well, the worst I can get from this is just years of embarrassment, it's fine. (It wasn't.)

I pressed send.

Me: Hey, this is Megumi! Is this Hiro?

Everything else faded out. Haah... in and out. In and out. I clutched the fabric of my shirt. Please... please respond. I stared back at the phone. Please be here. I don't...

I don't want to be alone.

I almost dropped my phone when it beeped with a notification. "Holy—" I shut myself up. Bringing the device back to my face, I braced myself.

TanjiroKamadoBoi1422: Holy shit Princess? U here too?!

I screamed, gasping out air. "Hahaha!" For once, there was actual hope in this damn situation! I stood up with a small bounce in my feet, twirling around in a small dance. My heart felt a little lighter as I felt my lips quirked up— only to halt in my steps at Team 7 staring at me. "Ah—" My back straightened, eyes averting away. "Um, I was just contacting someone." My shoulders rolled for my comfort. "Don't worry, it's someone you can trust."

I didn't bother waiting for their reactions, looking back on Twitter, rapidly typing down words. I am speed!

Me: hey did anyone else come with you

TanjiroKamadoBoi1422: ? No?

I rose a brow. So it's only team 7? That's... extremely strange. Heck, I'm surprised it wasn't the Akatsuki instead of them. But I shook my head-- I have other things I wanna discuss.

We texted back and forth, talking about the situation and what even happened. Turns out, he also doesn't know but remembers being very tired and sleepy before this. Which means... an outsider caused this?

We didn't know.

Me: Hey, where even are you?

Korea?

TanjiroKamadoBoi1422: Na Im at XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I blinked. That's... actually close to this campus. Holy shit-- we could meet up! But then I stopped. At the thought of that... it scares me. If we were to meet, would he be disgusted?

I took a deep breath. No, we just need to find a way to find a solution. The faster, the better.

Me: Coolios I'm near there

Me: Wanna meet up?

It took longer for him to respond.

TanjiroKamadoBoi1422: Not today... I dont like today

Huh? I was perplexed at his text. Don't like today? What, is there anything special for today? My throat drawled out a low hum as I paced a hand under my chin, pushing back a lock of hair in the process.

Me: THen how abt tomorrow?

TanjiroKamadoBoi1422: THat's ok

Alright, we have time. Seems things were finally turning for the better, for this crazy situation.

Me: kay. Let's meet at the bookstore at XXXXXXXXXXX

I let out a sigh as our conversation ended, lowering down my phone. Hiro... I wonder what he looks like. I mean, I can take a guess but... This heart seemed to skip a beat as I laid back against the bed. My hand stretched out. Once again, it was the same long and dry hand instead of the smaller yet more controlled I was used to. This... this really isn't a genjutsu, is it?

Now that I think about it, I sat up with the sudden realization dawning on me, I haven't heard much of the team. What are they doing? Standing up, I looked around the dorm, only to look at the kitchen and gasp.

They were all munching on flavored toaster pastries, turning their heads at me with accusation struck on their face.

My jaw dropped.

"My pop tarts!"

Okay, I'm here. I stared up at the small bookstore in front of me. The meeting place wasn't as good as the cafe that Hiro and I usually we to, but it was good enough for a meet-up. Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke on the other hand stayed at home. Now, it wasn't due to the fact that I didn't trust them (okay maybe a little bit) but, the world might've been too overwhelming for them. Heck, it was weird to be back here myself, after so many years.

I twisted my body around-- I wore a navy blue oversized shirt that was tucked under some light periwinkle shorts. Along with some red converse shoes, I had a black leather backpack strapped on my back, my hair pulled into a ponytail. Is this good enough?

I looked back at my phone, which was lit up and on Twitter.

Me: u there? I'm the one with dyed hair and a black backpack.

It took a moment for him to respond.

TanjiroKamadoBoi1422: Im around there

Letting out a small hum, I glanced around. Geez, all this waiting is making me nervous. My feet moved around, tapping anxiously as time ticked. You know, I really hope the people at the dorm don't trash the place-- that would fucking suck. And-- and what happens if those cat tendencies came along?! God, not the food--

A hand landed on my shoulder. My breath hitched, the balls of my feet turning around as I looked behind me.

My eyes widened.

In front of me was a taller and slim man, staring right back at me with uncertain chocolate brown eyes. The dark-haired male wore a striped shirt with a black and grey bomber jacket, along with light jeans and brown shoes. His other hand was rubbing the back of his neck, shoulder slightly hunched up. "Megumi...?" The man before me spoke with hesitance in his tone. "This... this is you, right?"

This... this was Hiro. My heart skipped a beat-- yet another thought, more confusing and louder took over the shock.

Because... because there was something strange about this-- he--

He looked familiar.

Except it didn't make sense. Nothing made sense. I don't remember ever meeting him in this life. I don't-- I don't understand. There was a small bitterness at the tip of my tongue.

Have... have we met before?