Misery Loves Company

What goes around comes around
A young girl with steel gray hair tied in twintails, and dark blue eyes was staring at the sky from the roof of her manor. She seemed to either have just woken up, or finished something rather exhausting.

"When is Dad going to visit again?" She sighed.

"When we least expect it..."

It was here that another teenage girl's figure had appeared to stand right beside her. Her appearance might as well have been a mirror; her white hair was laced in long twin tails. Blue and seemingly pupiless eyes looked mirthfully over at her sitting companion, a warm smile decorating the face.

"That sounds like him." Aoi smiled warmly at her sister. "I just wish he'd visit more often. It wouldn't kill him."

The other woman, known as Kyuui, turned herself to sit down on the roof. Her legs dangled off carelessly like ropes hanging off of the ceiling. "Don't worry." She assured. "Soon, he won't just have to visit, but he'll stay with us...this time..."

It was a year after their father's battle with their aunt. That very year, the man had willingly surrendered his intentions to his family in the hopes that they would understand through Midoriko's words. It was no surprise, shortly after, that he would come along to greet the family as a friend...not an enemy.

Flashback...

''The door opened, and despite the fact that it was a warm summer's day, cold seeped into the house as Midoriko entered. She opened her mouth to speak. "I'm back!"

''Unfortunately, Tereya was the nearest one to the door at the time, lying on the couch. And upon feeling the cold sensation... well, she wasn't exactly calm as she was before her daughter had entered. Instantly, she shot up, arms hugging around herself. "What in the holy hell....?!" She stammered. "Did you bring the whole North Pole with you?!"''

''Ahatake understood instantly. His precious daughter had reverted to her former personality. "What's up Mido?" He asked tentatively.'' ''Midoriko turned to him. "Father, I'd like you to stop going after Taiki." She said, her tone ice.'' ''Whatever Ahatake had expected to hear, that wasn't on the top of his list. He was speechless.''

''And whatever Tereya's comment was about to say, it was immediately shot to hell. Her eyes widened in considerable surprise. The invisible burden she had resisted on her shoulders was now lifted at her words - it was as if a pardon for her own crimes had been lifted.''

''Yet, her words were calm. "What happened, Mido?" She questioned, folding her arms across her chest and leveling her gaze into her daughter's eyes. "We want to know everything."''

''"Nothing really happened." She replied. "I sparred with him, he lectured me, we resumed battle. We we're about even and then he decided to tell me that his plans are "something I will appreciate". So I decided to sit back and watch it all play out. And I told him I'd tell you lot to back off."''

''"Sparred...?" That made Tereya scoff. "Is that why you're coming in with the Artic behind you?"''

''"Isn't it obvious?" Ahatake asked. "She's reverted to her former personality. Only it seems to have been upped a notch."''

"I know that! That just means it wasn't just a simple spar!"

''"Just stop going after him." Midoriko said airily.''

''Sighing, Tereya closed her eyes and leaned back in her couch. "Is that it? I'd have expected something a bit more drastic than that..." She mused. "Oh, well..."''

''"He'll be dropping in soon to visit Aoi and Kyuui." Midoriko said, walking upstairs. "At least I assume it'll be soon."''

"Oh, it'll be soon all right..."

''Behind the cold aura of Midoriko's wake, a familiar white-haired man was leaning against the doorway, eyes squinted shut, and his mouth set in a wide smile. Tereya's head immediately snapped up at the sound of the voice, eyes widening ever so slightly as she recognized who it was."''

''"Kaa-san....Tou-san...it's been a while!" He greeted politely.''

''"Perhaps sooner than I thought." Midoriko said looking at her brother. "Welcome back, Onii-san."''

''Hands slid into his pockets, the man didn't look all too concerned about the fact that they were once former enemies. After all, the words did come from his trustworthy sister. "Thank you, Mido-chan." He replied.''

''"They've agreed to stop going after you." Midoriko said with a cold smile.

"I heard everything outside. Your cold aura provides good cover over my reiatsu, you know."

''"I'll remember that should you ever need my assistance." She replied and gestured upstairs. "I believe there are two people waiting to see you."''

"I hope I get a better reaction outta them then outta Tou-san and Kaa-san." Taiki said, motioning towards his two parents. His footsteps carried him, however, past Midoriko and up the stairs in swift motions. "Negative, positive, I don't care..."

''Midoriko laughed as she led him to a door where the sound of giggles could be heard. She opened the door to find Adela, Kyuui and Aoi in the room, Aoi hanging on her mother's back like an infant monkey, laughing up a storm. Kyuui was apparently in a panic, waving her arms in a vain attempt to get her sister to stop.

''It was Taiki that decided to speak, leaning against the doorway in the same manner as before. "Oh, dear. Am I missing all the fun?"''

''The room had gone silent at the sight of the silver haired man. Adela was the first to speak. "Hello dear." She said as if Taiki had merely returned from a long business trip. "How are you?"''

''He had expected as such, and her tone lifted his feelings a bit. "I've been better." He replied casually and amiably. "More importantly, how are you three?"''

''"We're fine." She replied pleasantly as Aoi detached herself from her mother and began walking slowly towards her father.''

''Despite possible danger, Taiki continued to lean and watch as Aoi approached. Behind her, Kyuui had watched the both of them with wary eyes, fingers on her mouth out of nervousness. Though, his smile faded into a more thoughtful curve. After all, she hadn't drawn her Zanpakuto immediately.''

Yet.

''Then, in a move that surprised everyone in the room, she put her arms around Taiki, tears pouring down her face. "I'm sorry.." She muttered, and everyone knew she was referring to the time she had tried to wipe Taiki off the face of the Earth.

''That made Taiki scoff lightly. "Stupid girl." He muttered, leaning over and wrapping his own arms around her gently. "What are you apologizing for? I'm the one that left you in the dark for so long. I'm the one that nearly ended your life. For that, I'm sorry."''

Aoi looked up, with a large smile on her face, but it appeared she could no longer speak.

That's when Kyuui stepped in.

''Before Taiki realized it, she had rushed forward and embraced the man in her own affectionate hug. "We missed you so much..." She whispered, her voice having cracked slightly. Tears were welling up in her own eyes.''

''Adela smiled at the scene. It seemed everyone was content.''

Right at that moment, husband and wife had matching faces...

End Flashback

Aoi sighed and lied down on the ceiling, only to be greeted by the sight of Kyuui's rather large breasts. She spluttered as her face turned a brilliant shade of magenta and she sat bolt upright again. "So what do you want to do?"

That was when Kyuui started outright laughing, at the sudden reaction. The laughter was so hard, tears came from her eyes in a minuscule amount. "Kya Ha ha ha ha--!" Was all she could manage to get out, holding her sides. When she finally did manage to calm down, however, she raised a finger to wipe a tear from her eye.

"Aoi... you are so innocent, it's screaming cute..."

Aoi's face was still slightly pink as she spoke. "I was just caught off guard." She said sheepishly. "It's really odd though. Your chest used to be so small and now it's huge. Just like Grandma's."

"R...really?" Slightly taken back, Kyuui looked down at herself in an innocent, clueless manner. "Now that you mention it, they do stick out a bit more, don't they?"

Aoi laughed. "Like you have no idea." She sighed and took in a deep breath. She peered over the edge of the ceiling and saw a red haired woman in black clothing approaching the building. "Hey Kyuui, there's someone walking up to the door."

"Nani?"

A questioning look filled the white-haired girl's eyes. She maneuvered herself over to get a better view. "It looks like Akiko-san a bit..." She noted.

"Yeah." Aoi replied, squinting her eyes to get a better view. "Should we go down to check?"

"Nah... we should probably wait 'till the rest of the family get acquainted with her..."

"Alright." Aoi replied. "If that's the case.." She tackled Kyuui to the ground and locked her lips with hers...

"!!"

Family Ties
The door bell rang rather loudly and repeatedly, causing Ahatake to jump, ruffling his newspaper. "Who the hell?? It's 9:00 in the morning!" The doorbell kept ringing and Ahatake sighed and got up and walked to the door. He opened it and standing outside we're two nearly identical women, both with long red hair and pale skin, but the shorter with brilliant green eyes and the taller with darker, blood-red eyes.

"Akiko...not to be rude but..who the hell is this?" He gestured to the red-eyed woman.

"My mother." Akiko replied grimly as they entered.

The woman spoke. "I'm Asami Yau." She said, staring coldly at Ahatake. "You look a lot like him."

"I'm sorry?"

"Kaemon." She replied shortly, as she walked around the room. "You look alot like him."

"He's my dad." Ahatake replied, bewildered.

"I see." She replied, giving Ahatake a cold, appraising look. "And where is your father?"

"Upstairs." Ahatake replied meekly and the woman strode past him.

"What was that about?" Ahatake turned to his sister.

"Mom isn't too happy with Dad.." She replied. "You know..for leaving her in favor of your mom."

Ahatake sighed and muttered in what sounded like insults in German under his breath.

In a chair, legs crossed in a ladylike fashion, and hands on her knees, Tereya had observed the whole thing seemingly in a formal manner. Yet, her expression was one of blinking curiosity. "Wonder what's gonna happen..."

Ahatake didn't answer, as he was still muttering rapidly and the only intelligible words were the names which he spoke in Japanese. But he needn't have answered anyway, as a shrill voice was soon heard and it rattled the very walls of the house.

"LEFT ME FOR A HUMAN-!"

The voice effectively stopped Ahatake's mutterings, and he was wide eyed.

"-WRING YOUR NECK-!"

Putting on a small smile, Tereya placed her hands behind her head and leaned by in her chair, obviously pleased by the sounds of anger coming from upstairs. "Ah...such music brings wonders to the ears..."

"-ANY IDEA HOW I'VE BEEN FEELING-??!?!?!"

Akiko shuddered. "Poor Dad."

"He'll be fine. Unless of course, he comes out bleeding like a shot gas tank...."

"With mom in there he probably will."

The shrill shrieking continued, though it seemed to have reached a pitch at which only dolphins would even be able to hear it. It seemed she had been wanting to let all this out for ages.

"Still..." A slight look of annoyance came across Tereya's face. She raised a pinky to stick into her earlobe. "That shrieking could be done without...it's a pain to my head."

Ahatake laughed as the noise subsided and footsteps could be heard as Asami walked down the stairs. She looked furious and her hair was bushy and sticking out in places.

"Super Saiyan..." Was the first thing Tereya thought of when she saw the scorned woman's appearance. But she remained silent, eyes closed in a rather comical manner.

The woman took out a brush and began to straighten her hair. Akiko spoke. "Um...mom...so...what happened?"

The woman did not answer immediately, first straightening her hair back into it's former style. "I just had to get that off my chest." She sighed. "The bastard. No one leaves me for a human."

"Uh...technically he was with my mother first." Ahatake said. In an instant he knew it would have been better just to keep quiet as the woman's fist collided with his gut.

Despite the fact that she wasn't too sympathetic towards the Kurosaki at that moment, Tereya decided to speak up. "Oi, oi... care to watch your temper? That's my husband you just punched the wind out of."

Asami turned her cold stare toward Tereya. But all she did was speak. "Be quiet girl." She turned on her heel and strode out of the house, leaving Ahatake to regain the breath that her blow had knocked out of him.

"Akiko...why did you bring her here?" He asked, breathing hard.

"She told me to." Akiko replied sheepishly. "I still have to do what my mother says."

"It makes me glad I don't have my parent's around." Tereya said dryly. "That makes two Midorikos that I know..."

"She makes Midoriko look sweet." Ahatake muttered, slumping down back into his chair, not even bothering to move the newspaper.

"I don't need to ask this..." Tereya turned her eyes towards her husband once more, an eyebrow raised. "But are you all right?"

"It'll take more than that to make me actually hurt." Ahatake replied. "She only knocked the win out of me. She could have done much worse if she had wanted to."

"Well, if your father survived, it can't really be that bad....can it?"

"Maybe not." Ahatake replied.

Asami was standing outside on a cliff that overlooked the rest of the area. The wind was blowing a gently breeze that caused her hair to whip around her. Though her face was blank it was obvious she was troubled. "That jerk..proposing in the middle of my yelling at him.."

"Hi!"

To her troubled ears, a cheerful voice found its way in. Then, its owner's head appeared over Asami's, a figure leaning over her. A smile and blue pupiless eyes, along with loose white hair obviously meant it was another female.

Asami's eyes widened as another girl with steel-gray and dark blue eyes appeared next to her. "Hi." She echoed her sister.

Caught off guard, Asami was speechless.

"We're the granddaughters of your half-son." Kyuui introduced herself and her sister. "Kyuui and Aoi. Sorry if we..." She cleared her throat a bit, raising herself up to a standing position. "...scared you a bit."