Polka-Dotted Skyline[Naruto] :{Part 17}:

Memo: This one goes out to All my BFF's. The ones who helped create Mura, Misha, Belinda, Tairaa, and Miju! Much Love,
~~Lulu

[Megumi‘s POV]

After Mura sings no one else offers to so Naruto and Sasuke head home. I can’t help wondering how they live, I mean Sasuke’s entire family is dead or evil and Naruto is an orphan. It’s times like these that make me remember her. *Michiko.....*

*No,* I silently lecture myself,

*We agreed to forget about her.*

“Okay then guys. Now we can organize now and sleep in late tomorrow, or sleep now and organize tomorrow. Which is it?” I ask smiling uncontrollably.

“Organizing tomorrow,” T says tiredly.

“No, tonight,” Bel says opposing him.

“I say tonight,” Miju says quietly.

“I’m with Miju and Bel,” Mura says.

“I’m with T. I need sleep!” Misha exclaims waving her hands like an Italian.

I laugh silently and say, “Sorry T, Misha. It’s four to two.” I shrug sadly, but then smile again. “Okay then. All of your boxes are in appropriate rooms. I hope you guys like your rooms. Mine is on the third floor.” I take a breath then continue, “The downstairs is off limits, got it?” I raise my eyebrows purposefully at T and Misha. “We take turns cooking. There are six of us and seven days in a week. Saturdays we order take-out or go out to eat. Every other day one of us is responsible for putting dinner on the table. On your corresponding day you can cook anything, order take-out, take us out, or make sandwiches, I don’t care, just make sure everyone is fed.”

I look around to see who has already fallen asleep and see T’s eyelids sinking. I snap my fingers right in front of his face and he rockets up, scared out of his wits.

Belinda, Misha, Mura and Mijulri laugh out loud at his frightened eyes. I smile wickedly and continue.

“Thank you T, now please pay attention. Rooms will be kept clean. Once a week I will be entering your rooms to check their cleanliness. Laundry, each month we switch who does the laundry. Further instructions shall be given at a later date. Your bathrooms, everyone has their own, so they’re your responsibility. The forest behind the house is mine, so feel free to train there, or just hang out. Money, you all have, and the Kazekage sent a VERY good sum for all of you, so you’ll have enough. You’re under my guardianship now, so be warned; I will not tolerate deliberate disobedience.”

A chorus of ‘Yes, Megumi-hime’ rings out and I have to stifle a laugh.

“Okay then, go on up to your rooms.” As everyone gets up I have a better idea. “Wait!” I yell loudly. “Miju can go straight up to her room, but the rest of you, I’ll lead you one at a time to your rooms. Now, T, come with me,” I say walking towards the stairs.

T shrugs and follows behind me dutifully.

I lead him up to the second floor and stand in front of his door. He has been admiring the décor of the house while I lead him up, but now it’s time for him to see his room.

I open the door slowly, covering his eyes with my left hand while opening the door with my right. I walk him into the room and slowly uncover his eyes. He grins widely as he sees his room and hugs me.

“Umi,” he murmurs sweetly.

“It wasn’t me T, it was Mel. When we go see her, you can thank her.” I say hugging him and leaving the room. I close the door behind me and go back downstairs to grab the next teenager.

“Your turn Misha. Come on Miju, you can help me show her!” I grab both of their hands and drag them both to the third floor.

I open Misha’s door and she gasps and starts jumping up and down.

“Zomigies, Umi! It rocks out loud. No, it rocks my sexy happy bunny socks!” she squeals.

Miju smiles, for real and lead Misha into her room.

“Again, zomigies! It looks so much like you, Miju.” Turning to me Misha asks,

“What about yours? What’s it like?”

“How about I show you?’ I ask leading her towards my bedroom. I open the door and she screams at the top of her lungs, which is really high.

“It is…it’s so…it rocks my sexy little Fraggle’s socks!” She begins to jump and down taking Miju with her.

“Okay, okay,” I say putting my hands on her shoulders and bringing her back to Earth, “I get it, it rocks, but how can it rock Freddie, the Fraggle’s socks if he goes around barefoot?”

She shrugs and skips back to her room. Miju smiles at me and walks to her room as well.

I go down about ¾ of the way on the stairs and yell out, “Come on you lazy bums, it’s both your turns now!”

Mura and Bel trudge up the stairs and I grab their forearms and make them run up the rest of the way to the second floor.

I open Bel’s door and kick her inside. Then I swing Mura’s door open and push her inside. I smile and walk to my room. I hear happy squeals emancipating from both open doors, but continue up.

I open the door to my room and see that almost everything is already organized in it. I decide to look at my bathroom and organize my toiletries
on the sink.

I gasp when I open the dark blue door.

Inside is large and spacious. My bath area has a rather large shower and gigantic tub. My sink is made of granite with orange strings running through it. The counter is spacious. The handles on the sink and bathtub appear to be silver. On the wall is wallpaper. It is covered with pixies, fairies, gryphons, ligers, and other mythical beings. I immediately locate the goddesses Athena, Artemis, and Gaia. Soon after I find the gods Hermes, Apollo, Hades, and Neptune.

*She included all my favorites! Melii…*

I smile and begin to unpack the box.

I place a small mirrored tray on the countertop and arrange my many perfumes on it. Next to it I put my old jewelry box. It’s cover is cloth and designed with dragons and vines. I open it and make sure all my make-up, mostly eyeliner, lip gloss, and lipstick, is still in one piece and organized. I nod when I see everything is fine. On the opposite side of the sink I place a small mesh net box about 30cm long, 6cm high, and 20cm wide. Inside I arrange my nail polishes. Once every week I change my nail color. This week my nails are red, blood red, but next week they be orange, or yellow.

I quickly arrange the rest of my things inside the bathroom.

I walk back into my room and stare at the box on my bed. I’ve yet to open the actual box from Melii, or give Sasuke his letter.

Tears that I’ve been suppressing all day bubble out and stain my pale cheeks. I sink down to my knees in front of the bed and place my head on the mattress. I quietly continue to cry, hoping none of the kids hear me.

All of the thoughts, memories, and dreams come back all at once and make my sobbing louder. I silently remember the kids and calm myself down a little.

I sit down on my bed against the headboard and stare at the box, remembering.

~~~~~~~~Memory~~~~~~~~
“Meggy, oh come on Meggy, it’s okay, no one is going to see you!” Melii says laughing. Her brown hair falls just short of her elbows and her brown eyes laugh at me through the encouragement.

It’s my sixteenth birthday and Melii and I just got our bandages removed from our new tattoos. Her tattoo is completely hidden under her hair. On the back of her neck she got a small lily with the words, “It takes two to speak the truth- one to speak, and another to listen” in bold red writing making a circle around it.Mine is much more visible. On my outer right ankle I got a crescent moon with angel wings. Under it is a simple phrase written in fancy script, “Dream to live, live to dream.”

“Fine already!” I say walking out of the shadow in which I was hiding.

We continue our trek home. My knee length flowered skirt billows in the slight breeze. Sand swirls around us, but we continue walking in companionable silence. My uncovered arms get goose bumps from the breeze, but I don’t comment or anything, just keep walking. My arms are bare because of my pale green tank top. Melii is wearing dark jeans and a ¾ length top the color of sunrise.

She suddenly turns to me and says, “Meggy, do you think we can do this? I mean, really? Keep lying to everyone? Can we stay friends forever, even though everyone says we shouldn’t or can’t?” Her eyes reflect true wonder and confusion.

I smile meekly and tell her, “No matter what, though thick, thin, good, bad, we’ll always have each other. No matter what anyone says. And if in order to keep you and T safe, I have to, then I’ll lie to the others forever. You should know that Mel.”

She nods and smiles. We both turn back to the road and continue our journey.
~~~~~~~~End Memory~~~~~~~~

I look down and see that I’ve uncovered my outer right ankle. There, just like that day, is my crescent moon with angel wings and under is still my lifelong moral, “Dream to live, live to dream.” My anklet matches with the theme. Crescent moons and suns drop gracefully from a gold chain.

I close my eyes as a couple more tears leak through. I slowly take off my bangles from my left wrist and remove my fish nets. Under it all, no bigger than my thumb is the promise we made, “Friends forever, family for longer. No matter what, we stand together.” That small heart, half blue, half green, has been my lifeline for so long I can’t imagine not looking at it every night before going to sleep.

“No matter what Mel,” I whisper. “Together forever, even if we don’t meet again in this life, we will be together in the next.”

I close my eyes and slowly slide into a dreamless sleep.