Moving Out, Moving On [Tsutomegi]

[Tensei Kaori]

It still felt weird to Ayaka to be spending a day not working in the cafe. But Oyaji and Obaa-chan insisted that she needed time to herself, so she was given somewhat shorter hours and even an entire day off. She had spent much of the morning just wandering around, but without anything to do, she quickly found her feet pointing back to the tents.

And it was a good thing that happened, because tents one through four were being taken down.

Panicked, Ayaka rushed up to the first ninja she could find, hoping for an explanation, and was told that most of the buildings had been repaired and that the tents were coming down over the next couple weeks. The four already being disassembled were already empty, so the ninjas were getting them down and out of the way, and Ayaka should go talk to someone at the admin tent about her new home. So she did, and was quite surprised to see that someone was none other than Takeo-kun.

"Oh, Aya-chan!" he greeted happily. "Can you believe they finally finished fixing the apartments? You finally get your own home!"

"Uh... yeah," was her hesitant reply. Why did she feel so sad? Wasn't this what she wanted?

"Eh? You okay? Well, if you're sure." He didn't sound too convinced, but he let it drop - for now, at least - and pulled out an envelope labeled with what appeared to be her name, and her tent number. "Anyways, this is for you. It has the paperwork and stuff, your new address, a map and directions, and there are a couple keys in a smaller envelope inside. Don't lose those, please. They're hard to replace. Also, I'm supposed to tell you that you might wanna consider getting a copy made so someone you trust can get in if there's an emergency or something. Well, not that it's too terribly important since we live in a village full of ninjas, but it's an idea. Oh, and I'll tell you the same thing I told Tsutomegi when I gave him his: if you need any help moving, just ask!"

"Uhh... yeah," was all a dumbfounded Ayaka could say. "Thanks. I guess I should go pack or something. I'll... see you around, Takeo-kun."

"That you will! You workin tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Morning and early afternoon."

"Sweet. I'll stop by for lunch then. See ya then!"

"Yeah...."

* * * * *

Ayaka still felt numb as she slipped into the tent, staring at the envelope in her hand as if it held her doom. Just what was she going to do?

This tent had been the happiest home she knew.

[strangevisitor]

There was a feeling of vacancy for Tsutomegi Utsuro on this day, like being adrift in an emptiness as he looked over the tent. He sat on the cot he had been sleeping in these past weeks, hands clutching the envelope that had been addressed to him.

Tsutomegi Utsuro, Tent #7

It had been the closest he had to an address in seven years. Inside the envelope was another address, the one he was supposed to be heading to sometime soon. But as his thumbs traced the shape of the keys inside, he could not bring himself to be excited about leaving this place.

Why?

It was just a tent, a non-permanent construction for shelter's sake. And yet his bundle sat in the corner not too far away, partially undone as several of his belongings had taken up residence in a series of old wooden crates turned on their sides and stacked. He had seen Ayaka-san do a similar thing, and found it a rather brilliant idea.

Packing everything back up...moving it...he really just..did not want to. And for the life of him he could not figure out just exactly why. So lost in his own blank stare, Utsuro hardly noticed someone entering the tent.

[Tensei Kaori]

Ayaka sighed heavily as she came to a stop just inside the tent, unable to rip her eyes away from the envelope in her hand until she noticed something - or someone, rather - out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh, hi, Tsutomegi," she greeted weakly. "Looks like you really did get one too."

[strangevisitor]

There was a rather lengthy pause before Utsuro realized he was being spoken to. Lifting his head slightly to look back over his shoulder, he could see Ayaka-san standing there, holding an envelope somewhat identical to his own.

"Y-yeah..looks like it....we are..finally moving, it would seem."

[Tensei Kaori]

"Yeah, seems so," Ayaka agreed somewhat numbly, shuffling over and dropping down onto her cot. For a long moment she just sat there, staring at the makeshift shelves that held her treasures, many of which she had been given since she arrived in Konoha.

"It's kinda funny," she said softly after a while. "Everyone is all excited about moving out of the tents and back into houses or apartments or whatever. But I... kinda don't wanna leave. Is that weird? I mean... it's a tent."

[strangevisitor]

There was a faint whispering sound in the nearly-silent tent as Utsuro shook his head, tangled mess of hair whipping about slightly. He moved his hand over the envelope again, one he had not yet even opened, tracing the addressing with his fingertips.

"It is...not a tent. I mean...it is, obviously...but for us....for me at least...it was the closest thing to a home for a long time."

[Tensei Kaori]

"Yeah," Ayaka agreed sadly. "I mean, I had a house and a family and stuff.... but I think this is the happiest home I had since Mom..." She trailed off, still not quite willing to talk openly about it.

"I wonder what they'll put here when the tents come down?" she mused. "I mean, there had to have been something here before, right? Whatever it is, I hope it's something nice..."

[strangevisitor]

Nodding in commiseration, he spoke quietly. "There is...a good bit of area here. Maybe...someone else will be able to build themselves a new home here. That would be good, I think."

He did not wish to compound on Ayaka-san's sorrow. This place had been a home for him as well, after all. Even if it was just Ayaka-san, it was nice to have a place to stay where he felt understood. Welcome even.

[Tensei Kaori]

"Yeah," Ayaka agreed. "It would. Just... I...

"Is it wrong to be scared of moving out of here?" she asked, pulling Taka-kun close and peering over at her friend as though seeking reassurance. "I mean, the scariest was leaving home, but I just got used to living here. And now it's all gonna change again."

[strangevisitor]

"Not at all." He replied with as much reassurance as he could muster at the moment. "Moving is...a very frightening thing the first couple of times one has to do it. Thankfully, you are not moving to another village, just somewhere else in Konoha. I...do not think there is anything to be afraid of."

[Tensei Kaori]

"I guess," Ayaka sighed, curling up on her cot and hugging Taka-kun as tightly as she could. What on earth was she going to do...?

* * * * *

Eventually Ayaka lay down, huddled up under the covers, and went to sleep. Or at least, she attempted to. Her night was restless, though, and finally before dawn she just gave up and got ready for the day.

There was still quite a bit of time before she had to go to work, so Ayaka gathered up her treasures - her photos, the drawing Ryuurei-san had done of her, the mask Tsutomegi had given her, her collection of lucky cat charms, and so on - placed them carefully in one of the bags she had accumulated somewhere along the way, picked up the envelope she had been given, and set out.

Her apartment, it turned out, was on the seventh floor of a building not too far from the center of the village. It was small compared to the tent or her grandparents' house, but because it belonged to just her, it seemed huge. And populated as it was by an odd mixture of slightly used things and brand new - she guessed because of building repairs and having to save money after the war - it felt very strange. But it was a roof over her head and a bed to sleep in, so she supposed that was what mattered.

By the time she arrived at the cafe for work, she had set up her treasures in a safe place in the apartment and locked the whole thing up behind her. The tent was coming down soon, so she would have to move some more things over after work.

All of this, when she should be enjoying the last of her time in the tent.

[strangevisitor]

It had been eerily, uncomfortably quiet in the tent for the rest of the night as Ayaka-san had drifted off, leaving him to stew over the envelope in his hands. Eventually he had fallen over and to sleep himself, as by the time his eyes opened again, the tent was empty, and the majority of her possessions were gone.

Combing his fingers through tousled hair, Utsuro sighed and went about repacking his bundle up. It took a bit of work, as some items were still not present, but by the time he was finished (after a brief break for brunch), it was as secure as it ever had been, and up on his shoulders with something almost resembling ease.

Looking around the tent, a sigh of lament escaped him, as the envelope was finally opened. Eyeballing the address inside and comparing it with his map, he bid the tent farewell and took off for destinations somewhat-know, just before the lunch rush would be hitting the streets.

[Tensei Kaori]

"I guess it's just you and me now," Ayaka told the smiling cat charm she had affixed to her apartment key. "Well. You and me and Taka-kun. I still wish..."

It didn't matter what she wished, though, because nothing was going to change. And so, with her take-home lunch in one hand and her keys in the other, Ayaka went to let herself into her new home...

.... and heard footsteps on the stairs not far away. Curious, she went to investigate.

[strangevisitor]

Tsutomegi Utsuro hated stairs. With a fiery passion.

This was a very recent revelation, circa 10 minutes ago when he had began his trek up the villainous contraptions hellbent on destroying his legs. It seemed like forever, but he could finally see the landing for the seventh floor just one more flight up.

Bracing himself, he shuffled slowly for the steps and began inching up them.

[Tensei Kaori]

It was a very curious Ayaka who peered down the stairwell. She wasn't sure why she did it - what did it matter who was coming up the stairs? Surely it wouldn't be anyone she knew - but she did.

And so she was quite thoroughly surprised to see a rather familiar figure making his way up to the seventh floor.

"Tsutomegi!?" she gasped, dropping her things in surprise. "You live here too!?"