H.A.N.D. Headquarters, Section 6 Office
The Next Afternoon
[ X ]
How did Yanagi do this job?
Being a high school student was hard enough! Gah, the remedial lessons his clone was attending for failing his midterms were overwhelming as it was!
Adding Yanagi's job on top of it was maddening!
Naruto frustratingly rubbed his temple as he filed through the various data and paperwork. It was mostly innocuous reports, mission briefs, and combat data that needed to be filed. It wasn't any sensitive data; otherwise, Miyabi would have to handle it…
After being directed to the correct place to file it or the correct person to deliver it to!
And that wasn't even mentioning all the requests off Harumasa had made previously in an attempt to get out of work and all the extra snack and food requests Soukaku tried to sneak in.
Soukaku had a monthly budget and was not allowed to go over it! Any snack outside of that had to be paid out of pocket, and she knew that! Harumasa knew he didn't have any leave left, and he was just being annoying!
If this is what Yanagi had to deal with on a daily basis, she was underpaid. Whatever she made, it wasn't enough.
…and it was only a matter of time before Miyabi grew bored and wanted to spar.
…speaking of.
Naruto frowned, glancing over across the room to the very bored Miyabi. She sat at her desk quietly, almost eerily still, scanning the Hollow data that had been collected. One would assume she was caught in a tranquil trance.
He knew better, as did Soukaku and Harumasa, after the three shared a look.
The signs of restlessness were evident. It was little gestures that made it obvious. From the twitch of her right ear, flicking occasionally to running her finger on the rim of her teacup, Miyabi was becoming anxious.
"Say, Naruto… What were those disks the Chief took from you?" Harumasa whispered, seeing the tense glint in Miyabi's gaze.
"She looks really scary right now. Usually she's only this intense around Ethereals." Soukaku meekly added in a hushed tone, huddling next to Naruto.
"All the ones I gave her were simply Hollow data that could be used to synthesize carrots from… Wait, hold on. Didn't she come in with another one after that meeting?" Naruto recalled, frowning as he remembered Miyabi carrying another after she came back from her meeting.
"Yeah, now that you mention it, she did. Wonder what was on it that is winding her up in such a manner?" Harumasa pursed his lips inquisitively.
"Wasn't her meeting with the Hollow Personal Affairs Chief? Could that disk be something from him?" Soukaku curiously wondered out loud.
Naruto screwed his face. She had a meeting with the Hollow Personal Affairs Unit?
He had a distinct feeling that it had to do with the favor Lycaon had asked of Section 6. He couldn't prove it, since they all worked for H.A.N.D., but it was suspiciously timed…
"You are aware I can hear you, yes?" Miyabi spoke up.
Naruto, Soukaku, and Harumasa jumped and broke their huddle as Miyabi modestly glared at them, her right ear flicking in annoyance. She ejected the disk from her computer and slid it into the inside of her coat, slotting it into a pocket for glancing over Naruto.
"Have you taken care of all of Yanagi's duties for the day?" Miyabi turned her intent onto Naruto.
"It took me longer than I suspected, but it's all done. Just finished rejecting Harumasa's sixty-nine requests for the week and wrapped up all the reports and sent them where they needed to go." Naruto nodded, slyly grinning at the end.
"69 requests? Surely one would have sufficed." Miyabi arched her brow and thoughtfully stroked her chin.
"Man, what did you rat me out?! It was a good joke, and you know it." Harumasa winced and hissed at Naruto.
"I had to go through and reject each one individually. It stopped being a joke after the first few and became quite personal after a while. I'm not nearly as fluent in this position as Yanagi, and let's just say I'm at my wits' end." Naruto seethed and gave Harumasa a spiteful glare.
"Ehehe, that's fair." Harumasa nervously laughed before flinching as Miyabi approached. "Hey, Chief, let's…"
"I'm not ignorant. I know what your joke was about." Miyabi held out her hand, pressing a single finger against Harumasa's forehead before flicking him.
"Ow!" Harumasa grimaced and cowered.
"I believe sixty-nine sessions against my combat data in the simulation room would suffice as punishment, yes?" Miyabi flatly handed out her punishment.
"Ahk! That's a little too extreme, don't ya think?" Harumasa recoiled.
"I'm pretty sure Yanagi would have you see Human Resources if you pulled a stunt like that with her." Naruto refrained from showing satisfaction at Harumasa's expense.
"I concur. That's precisely what she would recommend. I can call ahead and explain the situation to them if that is what you want." Miyabi judgingly crossed her arms over her chest.
Harumasa held up a finger, almost in defiance, before deflating. With a long sigh, he turned away and waved. "Well, gonna go get my mind crushed for the next couple of hours. Guess I'll see ya'll tomorrow."
"Bye Harumasa! Maybe we can get fries tomorrow!" Soukaku waved at the defeated Archer as he took his walk of shame.
"Now that that is taken care of, come. I wish to spar with you. See how you have kept up with your training. I've heard you took on a new trainer recently." Miyabi shifted her gaze back onto Naruto.
"And where did you hear that?" Naruto glowered at the fact that such information was being passed on.
"Kurenai-senpai. She was quite vocal about her displeasure with your new trainer stepping in." Miyabi answered.
"Oh, right. You're in Rina's friend group." Naruto mildly chuckled, forgetting how close-knit his friends and their groups were and how they were intertwined.
Which made him wonder, as Lycaon seemed to have some familiarity with Kakashi-sensei…
"Guess I can't say no. It's been a while since the last time I had a chance to spar with one of the legendary Void Hunters." A grin creased on Naruto's lips at the opportunity given to him.
To see where he measured up.
And if he could hold his own with Miyabi, perhaps he stood a chance against him.
[ X ]
Meanwhile, at Victoria Housekeeping Co. Headquarters
[ X ]
"Grrr…" Ellen gnashed her sharp teeth together as she sat behind the desk, her gaze sharp as daggers while vaguely looking out of the window.
She drummed her fingers repeatedly on the desk while waiting for a commission, her mind drifting to the one thing that was bothering her.
Her typical boring routine and duties were done. Being a maid was a chore, but it paid well when she had to do it. Even more so than when they dove into Hollows for whatever reason their clients wanted.
It all expended too much effort. But she would deal with it. Ellen took this stupid job because he was already here… and the pay was good, but mostly because he worked here!
And now he was doing the same thing that caused them to drift apart the first time!
Ugh! This was so frustrating!
Could he just notice for once in his life? Or was he doing this on purpose and hanging out with girls who had similar features to her?!
…and his sensei… Kurenai had a period where she had dyed the tips of her hair red…
"I see you seem to be quite upset about the current circumstances," Lycaon stated as he stepped out from the back, fixing his right cuff.
Ellen did not respond verbally. Instead, she scoffed after an annoyed glare aimed at Lycaon for a mere moment. Her attention soon drifted back outside, gazing out into the distance.
That was putting it lightly. She was irate.
…and she knew she shouldn't be.
This didn't have anything to do with Naruto. It had everything to do with her.
Ellen was jealous. She knew that. She could admit it internally! Externally… that was harder.
It had taken time for her to finally admit she had overreacted and drifted away over such a trivial matter. It wasn't even like Naruto really understood what Nangong meant when she asked him out!
Sure, they went on a date that Ellen fumed over, but to Naruto they simply hung out and nothing happened after.
Ellen wasn't even sure Naruto understood the difference between a friend who was a girl and a girlfriend. He clearly showed interest in ladies, but what he lacked was telling the difference between friendship and… love.
Naruto didn't even understand when they went to that fancy ball as escorts that Miyabi was flirting with him in her own unique way! …he didn't understand the reason why Ellen freed up time away from her friends to spend time with him.
…
"Ahem, I know this isn't my place to say… But I will say, open and honest communication is a healthy way to express what they are feeling." Lycaon iterated, much to Ellen's chagrin.
"Grrr…" Ellen responded with a growl, glaring at Lycaon, well aware of his intent.
Lycaon helplessly shrugged and sighed, shaking his head. "Can't say I didn't try…"
"Try less," Ellen scowled as she reached for one of her lollipops and slotted it into the corner of her mouth. "Do we have a job or not?"
"A very crucial one from one of our regular clients," Lycaon confirmed.
"And? What's the job?" Ellen stared flatly.
"Officially. Maintenance and recovery." Lycaon simply responded, much to Ellen's dismay.
"Is this from the Mayor?" Ellen scowled sharply, catching the terminology. "What's the unofficial task?"
"Confidential." Lycaon shook his head, unable to speak freely on the matter.
"Is that so?" Ellen refrained from snapping, feeling Lycaon was purposely trying to redirect her vitriol. "Fine. Where are we heading?"
It was working.
"The Ballet Twin Towers. Our client wishes to see if the towers are salvageable after the Hollow has shrunken and revealed their state." Lycaon admitted, a slight curl on the corner of his lips.
"Whatever… Let's go." Ellen grunted, using the desk to stand from her chair. Crossing her arms, she glowered, her tail swaying behind her in agitation as crossed her arms. "You take point. I don't want to use up any unnecessary energy absolutely have to."
"I will do my best to spare you of any hard work and save your energy for later." Lycaon chuckled, taking the lead with Butler the Bangboo following, opening the door for Ellen, and preparing to close shop since Corin and Alexandrina were out on their own assignment.
"Mah, what does that mean?" Ellen squinted at Lycaon as he locked up the building.
"Hm, oh, it's nothing," Lycaon grunted, ensuring the property was locked behind them. "I shall take the lead here."
"Our duty is, as of now, to scout the towers and identify any changes to the carrot data we'll need to be on the lookout for."
[ X ]
A Little Later, Hoshimi Residence - Training Field/Garden
[ X ]
This place was like a garden. Filled with Sakura Blossoms and leaves gently breezing in the wind, fluttering away from shockwaves as metal clashed after a flicker of motion.
Two individuals darted across the otherwise serene and grassy field. Both evenly matched in their grace of their movements and the swiftness of their strikes. Neither could find their target, for they were each expertly blocked.
The tension was high as both figures landed back in the dojo's parameters where they originally started before accidentally drifting into the garden. Apologies would be necessary to the gardener afterward.
Miyabi and Naruto's gaze met as they held their blade of choice in their grasps, katana and kunai respectively. Their breath was steady as they measured each other with their gazes.
Waiting for the next strike.
Miyabi was quick and agile. Naruto could match her, but he knew better than to think she was using her full potential. She was measuring him and testing him like she was last time they sparred.
Seeing if he was worthy of using her full potential.
And there was a sense of confidence instilled in Naruto. He wasn't quite going all out either.
Naruto had closed the gap since the last time. Considerably closer than ever before to achieving his goal and…
"That's enough for today." Miyabi relaxed her stance and sheathed her katana, but held a firm frown.
"Huh? That's it? I haven't even gotten started yet." Naruto felt put out, having barely broken a sweat.
He had grown accustomed to how vigorously Kakashi sparred with him. Naruto could go all out.
"I can sense that." Miyabi nodded, her frown only deepened as she cautiously held Naruto's gaze. "I would like to test myself against you, but it is apparent something is amiss. It's as if your heart isn't completely invested in the blade. I cannot spar against someone at my full capacity if something is burdening their soul."
"What?!" Naruto jerked, alarmed by Miyabi's reasoning to cut their spar short.
"My senses are quite attuned to others. In the midst of combat, it is easy to see when another is bothered. And I've seen you fight before. You may be more fluent and apt, but your movements are sloppier than they should be. Something is affecting your mind and restraining you from using your full potential, and thus, I refuse to continue." Miyabi added before thoughtfully screwing up her face. "Is it perhaps your girlfriend that is on your mind? The shark Thiren who was always following you?"
"Ellen is not my girlfriend!" Naruto snapped, cursing under his breath for a moment before glowering at Miyabi. "Who told you? Rina? Zhu Yuan? …Kurenai."
"Does it matter who did? I've known you since you were little, looking after you with Zhu Yuan, who was saddled with babysitting you. I could see how distracted you were by how little conviction there was in your movements. Something is bothering you, and at this time, you cannot afford that." Miyabi responded, wandering over to Naruto and standing directly before him.
"Well, it's not like I'm trying to let what's going on with Ellen bother me! It's just I don't understand why she's acting that way while I have to deal with this kidnapping asshole deciding to interject himself back into my life right at the worst time!" Naruto gritted his teeth, failing to hold back his rant before letting it rip.
"Hm… Sounds like a lot is bothering you." Miyabi sagely nodded before stroking her chin several times in thought.
"Ya think!" Naruto smoldered while giving Miyabi space.
"What is bothering her? Is she mad about something?" Miyabi asked with her lips pursed.
"She didn't like that I was assigned to work with Section 6 and you in particular. She didn't like how we danced at that ball with all the bigwigs. She thought we were flirting." Naruto scowled, air-quoting with his fingers at the end.
"Huh? I asked you to avoid dealing with all the other heirs wanting to approach me." Miyabi looked baffled.
"I know!" Naruto relaxed at Miyabi agreeing with him.
"And I would hardly call our chat flirting. I understand where the misconception comes from, but we were comparing techniques and how a dance translated into a spar." Miyabi continued to fail to wrap her mind around Ellen's issue.
"I know!" Naruto outrageously gestured once more, thankful at how confused Miyabi was by Ellen's actions as well.
"Hm… that is indeed most troubling. Why would she take out her anger on you for such a reason?" Miyabi pondered, her battle oriented mind trying to decipher the puzzle that was put before her.
"I don't know! I wish she would just tell me what her issue was so I at least know why she was mad in the first place!" Naruto lamented while Miyabi continued to think until she had an answer.
"Didn't the two of you have a falling out a few years ago? If I remember correctly, it was around the time Zhu Yuan was in training to join Public Sec, and I first joined Section Six." Miyabi asked while recalling vague memories from the depths of her mind.
"Well, uh, yeah. We talked off and on during, but we only really started reconnecting this last year. Right around the same time she applied for Victoria Housekeeping… Right after I did." Naruto sheepishly admitted.
"And wasn't that about a girl asking you out for a date?" Miyabi frowned while planting a hand on her hip.
"Yeah. Nangong asked me out, and Ellen flipped out at me after I went and hung out with her." Naruto nodded, grimacing at how easily their friendship had seemingly ended a few years back.
"And you two only have reconnected in this last year." Miyabi continued to dig for information.
"Sort of. As I said, we talked off and on. For the first few months after she freaked out, we didn't." Naruto ran his hand through his locks, sighed, then chuckled. "It was kind of a coincidence we started talking again. Lycaon had thought it would be a good idea for me to start living on my own since I kind of already knew how to, and it just so happened I moved into the apartments Ellen had just moved into. She caught me moving in and approached me, saying she was bored cause her friends canceled on her and wanted to hang out."
"Your relationship was mended that easily?" Miyabi quirked an eyebrow.
"I mean, we were dumb kids, so yeah." Naruto smiled and shook his head. "Like you said, things just kind of went back to normal after that for a long while. It wasn't until recently that she's really been insistent on spending more time hanging out with me like we did when we were younger. Even more so with the way she has been forcing me to go look for her when she skips class to make sure no one takes advantage of her lazy ass sleeping on benches in broad daylight."
"Why?" Miyabi tilted her head awkwardly at that particular action.
"I dunno. Conserve energy? She says something about the sun feeling relaxing, and she likes basking in it." Naruto shrugged, unsure why Ellen had a habit of falling asleep in the most random areas with lots of people present.
"Hm…" Miyabi creased her brow in thought again, taking in everything Naruto had told her. It took a few moments, but she finally had her answer. "She likes you."
"Huh?!" Naruto recoiled before looking confused.
"She likes you. She wants to be with you. That's why she's mad now, and it's why she was mad back then. It's quite simple, really. She feels threatened since we function on very similar wavelengths. She was threatened because you had crushes on Kurenai-senpai, smaller crushes on Zhu Yuan and myself. I imagine this girl Nangong also had black hair and red eyes." Miyabi explained as if it was obvious.
Naruto stood flabbergasted, unable to find a response. He simply let what Miyabi said sink in.
And Ellen's actions made so much more sense when he let that context sink in.
"Oh…" Naruto muttered, taken aback before his expression faltered and took a more sullen edge. "She likes me, huh?"
"…is that a problem?" Miyabi noted the droop in Naruto's features.
"No, it's just… I dunno, I think of her just like I do all my friends. I don't really know if I like her back that way. Sure, she is really attractive… but that's just looks and why I crushed on… well, you know." Naruto awkwardly rubbed the back of his head before looking down at his feet. "I don't feel for her any differently than I would feel for any of my other friends. Not sure what that feeling like that would be, ya know?"
"Yes, I do know," Miyabi answered honestly, nodding her head once and meeting Naruto's gaze as he looked up at her. "I'll be honest, I don't know anything about love or romance, just like you. I can recognize that it is a feeling others can have, but not one I understand. I often confuse it with bodily attraction, but it's not that either. It's something more that I can't explain because I've never felt it before."
Naruto paused, listening to Miyabi explain precisely what he felt. He frowned, feeling a pit in his stomach while his nerves caused him to fidget. "Great… guess I got to figure this out for myself, don't I?"
"I cannot offer advice other than one thing." Miyabi nodded, confirming Naruto's statement before giving a faint smile. "Whatever you do…"
"Keep treating her as a friend and don't let her drift away."
[ X ]
Later that Evening, Naruto's Apartment Complex
Naruto's Apartment
[ X ]
It took a while longer for Naruto to return home than it typically would have. As he took off his suit and set it aside, he had a lot to mull over and consider. Naruto sat at his kitchen table in nothing but his mesh undershirt and boxers.
Naruto had no idea where to even begin. How to even broach this conversation he needed to have with Ellen. With how she had been acting yesterday, and how angry she looked in class at his clone…
Thankfully, she didn't take her anger out on it, so the teachers realized he was actually present!
"This is just great," Naruto mumbled, his stomach rumbling in hunger.
He was unable to muster the strength to start his kettle and prepare a bowl of ramen.
Why of all times now did he have to learn that Ellen liked him? When that masked bastard showed back up in his life to turn it upside down once again?
"Fuck my life right about now…" Naruto exhaled, leaning back and slumping in his chair…
Only to jolt from a knock at his door.
"Coming!" Naruto called from inside, pausing for a moment at the door to look through the peephole just on the off chance.
He wouldn't think that asshole would knock at his door, but there was a chance he would do it to screw with Naruto…
"Ellen?" Naruto opened the door to see the girl on his mind on the other side of the door, looking quite miffed, still in her work attire.
And what was bundled in her right arm?
Was that… her shark pajamas?
"What took you so long this afternoon? You should have been back over an hour ago." Ellen glared sharply at Naruto, narrowing her eyes at seeing Naruto in nothing but his undergarments. "And why are you dressed like that?"
"I just got home. Why wouldn't I be dressed like this?" Naruto gestured to himself before pointing to the bundle in her arm. "Why do you have your pajamas?"
"C-cause that asshole is around and targeting all Victoria Housekeeping, not just you. None of us should be alone right now." Ellen fumbled over her words before venomously hissing.
"Okay, but what about Uncle Lycaon, Rina, and Corin?" Naruto frowned at the sudden leap of logic Ellen was taking…
"Hi." Corin meekly waved from behind Ellen.
"Corin?!" Naruto looked past Ellen to see Corin, in her full maid outfit, waving. He then turned to Ellen, slacked-jawed. "I was kidding! Why drag her away from her family into this?"
"And what are they gonna do against him? At least together we could fight him off." Ellen scowled.
"And what about them? What are they going to do if he just randomly shows up to Corin's house?" Naruto retorted before internally wincing.
What would they do if the masked freak showed up with her there? Naruto was lucky so far that the bastard only seemed to be toying with them and instead of causing actual harm…
"Oh, I doubt he would. We live in the safest neighborhood. The Chief Inspector of Public Sec running for Commander of Janus Sector is our neighbor. Since Public Sec has put out a BOLO for him, I doubt he would show up right next door to the Chief." Corin politely answered.
"…that explains why I saw his ugly mug on occasion when I walked you home that one time." Naruto narrowed his eyes and grumbled before glaring at Ellen. "We need to talk."
"Why do you think I'm here?" Ellen smoldered, looking ashamed as she looked down and away. Naruto paused, seeing Ellen look atypically bashful before she growled. "So are ya gonna put on some shorts and let a girl in so she can apologize? I know I overreacted."
"Oh, yeah… sure." Naruto swung the door open to let Ellen and Corin in while he went back to slide a pair of shorts on quickly in his quaint bedroom.
As he came out, Ellen was sitting on his couch, her face fully flushed while Corin sat demurely at Naruto's small dining room table. He wanted to talk, but with Corin here.
"Uh, I guess I kind of forgot your apartment doesn't have much room like mine. There's not really much room to sleep in here." Ellen sheepishly grimaced.
"I guess if this is what we're doing, I could create some clones and bring your bed over. I'll sleep on the couch…" Naruto attempted to suggest before he was cut off.
"Mine!" Ellen hissed and narrowed her eyes. A tick developed on her forehead. Naruto tilted his head, and Corin looked uncomfortable for a moment; she coughed and clarified. "I mean, that would work, but Corin can sleep in my bed. I dare say I wouldn't want her sleeping on your couch or worse, in your bed."
"You know I deep clean everything once a month. I could almost bet my stuff is far more clean than yours." A sly but cocky grin thinly creased on Naruto's lips.
"Just go grab it," Ellen glowered and fumed at Naruto through a narrowed gaze.
"Yeah, yeah." Naruto created two clones who headed out to Ellen's apartment to move her bed.
"If you wouldn't mind, since you just got home… But can I use your bathroom to change? Rina kept me late before Ellen approached me for this idea." Corin anxiously pushed her pointer fingers against one another.
"Go right ahead." Naruto gave a courteous nod and mild smile, allowing Corin to head to the bathroom and change into her street clothes.
Besides, he and Ellen needed some space to talk.
"Ellen," Naruto released a bated sigh, turning his intent onto the girl in question.
"Look, I'm sorry, alright?" Ellen began to snap before her expression went blank. A light flush returned as she looked down and away while Naruto sat on the opposite side of the couch, Ellen's tail being the separating barrier between the two of them. "I was taking out my frustration about myself on you. I shouldn't have."
"Well… about that. At some level, I'm involved, and some of the blame does lie on me for… Well…" Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.
"What… When did you?!" Ellen's gaze snapped to meet Naruto's before she scowled. "Who told you?"
"I vented to Miyabi after she was dissatisfied with how I was performing in a spar. Helped me puzzle out the issue." Naruto guiltily admitted he needed outside assistance.
"Of course it was her." Ellen looked dejected at first, before she couldn't help but snort. "Zhu Yuan always did say the two of you shared the same brain cell when around each other. Makes sense she figured it out for you."
"Hey, she gave it back!" Naruto jokingly chuckled.
"I'm not sure she did," Ellen smirked while Naruto momentarily smoldered.
"So, I, uh…" Naruto bit his lip anxiously, unsure what to say next.
"Still got that game you rented?" Ellen broke the tension by jabbing her thumb over at the TV before screwing her face. "I still gotta beat the score you set on it, jerk. Since we have all night, figured that'd give us something to do."
"Eh?" Naruto jerked at the sudden change of conversation. He frowned, however, and nodded as he glanced over at the cabinet beside his apartment's window. "Yeah, I haven't turned it back into Random Play. Probably be getting a call from Belle or Wise soon about that… But shouldn't we…"
"Look, Naruto, just because you finally noticed, things don't have to change. In fact, I'd rather they didn't." Ellen exhaled, giving him a mild look of irritation mixed with exhaustion.
"Huh? But all of this… was because you were mad at me for…" Naruto stared at Ellen, babbling incoherently while confusion washed over him.
"Because I was jealous, yes. I have always liked you, and it frustrated me that you were oblivious to that." Ellen gave a sharp, toothy glare as she huffed. Then with a sigh, and a faint smile, she simply shrugged. "Now that you know, we can move on and carry on with our lives. I don't care about being a girlfriend or boyfriend… too much effort… Especially with everything going on, ugh. I'd rather not waste energy on this and just hang out with my friend who I happen to like. We can worry about and deal with that stuff later. I'm tired and just wanna hang out."
An uncomfortable pause followed. Naruto stayed silent, taking in Ellen's appearance. Letting her words absorb for him disseminate them. In fact, he stared at her so long Ellen began to anxiously rub her forearm.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I just said what I feel." Ellen flushed, breaking eye contact.
"No reason…" Naruto smiled, getting up to stretch, letting out a stifled yawn in the process. "Yeah, you're right. Too much energy to waste thinking about this when we have real problems to deal with. We can figure us out later… now about that score."
"Don't tell me you set it higher!" Ellen sneered, anger glinting in her eyes as Naruto went to retrieve the cartridge.
"Maybe." Naruto chirped as he stepped by the cabinet by the window, pulling it out of the drawer. He snickered at Ellen's growl, enjoying that things were settling back to how they used to…
"Huh? What is that?" Naruto stopped cold in his tracks as he gazed out the window and into the sky.
"What? Is something wrong?" Ellen worriedly hopped up, grasping her W-Engine for the worst-case scenario, and joined Naruto.
And stood at the window, stupefied at what they were witnessing.
"Ellen, I'm done. You can get changed now." Corin's voice resonated as the bathroom door opened. Corin frowned, not hearing a response, and her gaze fell onto her two baffled coworkers/friends. "Ellen? Naruto? What's wrong?" Corin meekly approached the two and gazed out the window to see what had drawn their attention.
She too joined them, utterly overwhelmed by the visage in the sky.
"Why is there a train flying through the sky?"